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Research project will tackle antimicrobial resistance in Vietnam’s pangasius industry

Responsible Seafood Advocate

Four-year project aims to develop practical alternatives to antibiotics and improve disease management

antimicrobial resistance
The University of Stirling has received $3.2 million to study antimicrobial resistance and alternatives to antibiotics in Vietnam’s pangasius farming industry. Photo by HONG SON.

The University of Stirling has secured £2.4 million (approximately U.S. $3.2 million) for a four-year research project aimed at reducing antibiotic use and addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Vietnam’s pangasius aquaculture industry.

The project will investigate the factors contributing to AMR in freshwater aquaculture and work with farmers to identify practical alternatives to antibiotics. Researchers will also examine barriers that can prevent farmers from adopting alternative approaches to disease management.

The international project will bring together specialists in aquaculture, microbiology, veterinary medicine, environmental science, social sciences and humanities.

The research will be conducted in partnership with the University of Glasgow, University of Sydney, Can Tho University and Vietnam National University.

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“AMR is widely recognized as one of the most pressing global challenges facing society and is categorized as a ‘One Health’ issue because it affects human, animal and environmental health,” said Margaret Crumlish, a professor at the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture who is leading the project.

AMR occurs when microorganisms, including bacteria, develop resistance to medicines used to treat infections. In aquaculture, this can make bacterial diseases more difficult to control and create challenges for fish health and production.

“When antibiotics stop working effectively in aquaculture, particularly in freshwater systems in Southeast Asia, farmers often have few alternatives, but they trust antibiotic products, even if they are not effective,” Crumlish said.

Risk v. hazard: A dispassionate look at pangasius

By focusing on Vietnam’s pangasius catfish sector, one of the world’s most important freshwater aquaculture industries, Crumlish said it’s “an ideal opportunity” to understand how antimicrobial resistance develops, how it impacts production and how more sustainable approaches to disease management can be achieved.

“When antibiotics stop working effectively in aquaculture, particularly in freshwater systems in Southeast Asia, farmers often have few alternatives, but they trust antibiotic products, even if they are not effective,” Crumlish said.

The 48-month project will involve farmers, policymakers and industry representatives in developing a research roadmap and practical framework to improve antibiotic stewardship in freshwater aquaculture. Researchers aim to make the approach adaptable to other countries facing similar challenges.

“By pooling expertise from across the research and innovation ecosystem in the UK and globally, we can tackle related infectious disease challenges in a more coordinated way to get ahead of emerging biological threats and help protect people, animals, plants and the environment, both in the UK and internationally,” said Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, UKRI Executive Champion for Tackling Infections and BBSRC Executive Chair. “Ultimately, it will advance knowledge, improve lives, and drive growth.”

The project builds on previous University of Stirling research into fish vaccines, including trials at its National Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Hub.

“By co-creating solutions with farmers, policymakers, industry leaders and other stakeholders over the next 48 months, we aim to ensure that any interventions are both scientifically robust and practical to implement,” Crumlish said.

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