Bacterial disease outbreak in shrimp aquaculture is driving antibiotic misuse, environmental contamination, economic loss, and export disruptions while threatening global food systems and coastal ecosystems.
his project will develop and field test a disease control approach using bacteriophages (naturally occurring viruses of bacteria) to selectively suppress the bacteria that cause disease. Unlike antibiotics or chemical disinfectants, phages are designed to target bacterial virulence factors required for infection, reducing disease risk while preserving beneficial microbes, and avoiding harmful residues.
Working with shrimp producers and government regulators in Ecuador, the project team will generate field-validated treatment protocols, monitoring tools, and regulatory-ready documentation. If successful, this work will reduce antibiotic reliance, lower environmental contamination, strengthen livelihoods, increase export biosecurity, and establish a scalable, public-benefit model for sustainable aquaculture.
