Survey to evaluate the proficiency in the use of antibacterial drugs in shrimp farming in the state of Sonora, Mexico

Antibiotic drugs (ABD) are often used in shrimp farms to treat the disease when a bacterial diagnosis is presumed. This scenario was the impetus to carry out a field survey to define how ABD are employed in the State of Sonora, the second largest producer of shrimp in Mexico. Twenty-nine farms were surveyed through their general managers. According to interviews conducted, the most frequent bacterial diseases that were treated with antibiotics in 2020 were: Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (65%), vibriosis (51%), and Necrotizing hepatopancreatitis bacterium (41%). The most common ABDs were enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline and florfenicol, and drug preparations employed were often intended for non-aquaculture species, mainly poultry, and pigs. The main criteria for selecting a given antibiotic was a direct recommendation, followed by the market price. Neither pharmacokinetics nor pharmacodynamics nor harvesting withdrawal time were taken into account. The absence of protocols to safeguard the health and integrity of workers was detected, training programs for the responsible use of ABD were not encountered, and no data on bacterial resistance to ABD is available in this region. It is concluded that at least formal studies to define the pharmacokinetics of antibiotics are needed to rationalize their use in shrimp production.

Automated summary

A field survey was conducted in the State of Sonora, Mexico, which is the second largest producer of shrimp, to determine the use of antibiotic drugs. The survey revealed that in 2020, the most commonly treated bacterial diseases with antibiotics were Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (65%), vibriosis (51%), and Necrotizing hepatopancreatitis bacterium (41%). The selection of antibiotics was mainly based on direct recommendations and market price, without considering pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and withdrawal time. The region lacks protocols to protect the health and integrity of workers, training programs for responsible antibiotic use, and data on bacterial resistance to antibiotics.