Influences on limited antimicrobial use in small-scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central Thailand
IntroductionRecent years have shown substantial growth both in the scale and the spread of freshwater aquaculture in Thailand, raising concerns about potential widespread unsustainable use of antimicrobials.MethodsThis mixed-methods study used surveys and qualitative interviews to examine conditions...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1600051/full |
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| author | Nour Alhusein Boonrat Chantong Sarin Suwanpakdee Anuwat Wiratsudakul Virginia C. Gould Kantima Wichuwaranan Kornrawan Poonsawad Varapon Montrivade Nutcha Charoenboon Luechai Sringernyuang Matthew B. Avison Helen Lambert Walasinee Sakcamduang Henry Buller Kristen K. Reyher |
| author_facet | Nour Alhusein Boonrat Chantong Sarin Suwanpakdee Anuwat Wiratsudakul Virginia C. Gould Kantima Wichuwaranan Kornrawan Poonsawad Varapon Montrivade Nutcha Charoenboon Luechai Sringernyuang Matthew B. Avison Helen Lambert Walasinee Sakcamduang Henry Buller Kristen K. Reyher |
| author_sort | Nour Alhusein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionRecent years have shown substantial growth both in the scale and the spread of freshwater aquaculture in Thailand, raising concerns about potential widespread unsustainable use of antimicrobials.MethodsThis mixed-methods study used surveys and qualitative interviews to examine conditions of freshwater aquaculture farming in central Thailand in relation to animal health, disease management and patterns of antimicrobial use.ResultsFreshwater aquaculture in this area of Thailand was largely a domestic venture operated as a source of additional household income to increase financial security. Aquaculture was often integrated with other types of farming; initial outlay was reduced by repurposing unused crops, food, or animal manure (e.g. chicken droppings and pig dung) to fertilise aquaculture ponds. Among farmers representing twenty farms who were surveyed during 2019, only six farmers representing six farms said they used antimicrobials. These included oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and sulphonamides. Farmers doubted the benefits of using antimicrobials to treat aquatic animals; some believed antimicrobials stunted growth. The high cost of medicines and prohibitive regulations also discouraged antimicrobial use. Farmers linked disease occurrence to changes in the weather, the emergence of new diseases and variable water quality. They relied on farm management practices to maintain the health of their aquatic animals, using lime and salt to maintain and improve water quality and pH and to disinfect aquaculture pools. Farmers also reported obtaining juvenile fish and shrimp selectively from farms known to produce healthy stock. Specialised veterinary services for aquatic farming were rare, so farmers relied on their own experimentation with medicines, peer advice and recommendations of shopkeepers who sold both aquatic feed and medicines.ConclusionThis study unexpectedly reveals limited use of antimicrobials linked to socio-economic and ecological features of small-scale family aquaculture farms. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aebf3e79948b4bebbf69c8aefebe4828 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-aebf3e79948b4bebbf69c8aefebe48282025-08-20T03:28:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692025-07-011210.3389/fvets.2025.16000511600051Influences on limited antimicrobial use in small-scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central ThailandNour Alhusein0Boonrat Chantong1Sarin Suwanpakdee2Anuwat Wiratsudakul3Virginia C. Gould4Kantima Wichuwaranan5Kornrawan Poonsawad6Varapon Montrivade7Nutcha Charoenboon8Luechai Sringernyuang9Matthew B. Avison10Helen Lambert11Walasinee Sakcamduang12Henry Buller13Kristen K. Reyher14Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United KingdomFaculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, ThailandFaculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, ThailandFaculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, ThailandBristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United KingdomFaculty of Social Science and Humanities, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, ThailandFaculty of Social Science and Humanities, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, ThailandFaculty of Social Science and Humanities, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, ThailandPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United KingdomFaculty of Social Science and Humanities, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, ThailandSchool of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United KingdomPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United KingdomFaculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, ThailandCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United KingdomBristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United KingdomIntroductionRecent years have shown substantial growth both in the scale and the spread of freshwater aquaculture in Thailand, raising concerns about potential widespread unsustainable use of antimicrobials.MethodsThis mixed-methods study used surveys and qualitative interviews to examine conditions of freshwater aquaculture farming in central Thailand in relation to animal health, disease management and patterns of antimicrobial use.ResultsFreshwater aquaculture in this area of Thailand was largely a domestic venture operated as a source of additional household income to increase financial security. Aquaculture was often integrated with other types of farming; initial outlay was reduced by repurposing unused crops, food, or animal manure (e.g. chicken droppings and pig dung) to fertilise aquaculture ponds. Among farmers representing twenty farms who were surveyed during 2019, only six farmers representing six farms said they used antimicrobials. These included oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and sulphonamides. Farmers doubted the benefits of using antimicrobials to treat aquatic animals; some believed antimicrobials stunted growth. The high cost of medicines and prohibitive regulations also discouraged antimicrobial use. Farmers linked disease occurrence to changes in the weather, the emergence of new diseases and variable water quality. They relied on farm management practices to maintain the health of their aquatic animals, using lime and salt to maintain and improve water quality and pH and to disinfect aquaculture pools. Farmers also reported obtaining juvenile fish and shrimp selectively from farms known to produce healthy stock. Specialised veterinary services for aquatic farming were rare, so farmers relied on their own experimentation with medicines, peer advice and recommendations of shopkeepers who sold both aquatic feed and medicines.ConclusionThis study unexpectedly reveals limited use of antimicrobials linked to socio-economic and ecological features of small-scale family aquaculture farms.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1600051/fullantimicrobial useantibiotics useaquacultureThailandfarmsqualitative methods |
| spellingShingle | Nour Alhusein Boonrat Chantong Sarin Suwanpakdee Anuwat Wiratsudakul Virginia C. Gould Kantima Wichuwaranan Kornrawan Poonsawad Varapon Montrivade Nutcha Charoenboon Luechai Sringernyuang Matthew B. Avison Helen Lambert Walasinee Sakcamduang Henry Buller Kristen K. Reyher Influences on limited antimicrobial use in small-scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central Thailand Frontiers in Veterinary Science antimicrobial use antibiotics use aquaculture Thailand farms qualitative methods |
| title | Influences on limited antimicrobial use in small-scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central Thailand |
| title_full | Influences on limited antimicrobial use in small-scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central Thailand |
| title_fullStr | Influences on limited antimicrobial use in small-scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central Thailand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influences on limited antimicrobial use in small-scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central Thailand |
| title_short | Influences on limited antimicrobial use in small-scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central Thailand |
| title_sort | influences on limited antimicrobial use in small scale freshwater aquaculture farms in central thailand |
| topic | antimicrobial use antibiotics use aquaculture Thailand farms qualitative methods |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1600051/full |
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