Gut and blood microbiota of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared with lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and challenged with Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae in aquaponic system
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Date
2026-02-17
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Aquaponics, a bio-integrated system that combines fish farming and vegetable cultivation, has gained significant
attention due to its rapid expansion and potential for sustainable food production. In aquaponics, along with
plants and fish, both beneficial and harmful microorganisms are also present. This study was conducted to assess
the microbiota diversity of Nile tilapia reared with lettuce in aquaponic systems, with a focus on food safety
implications. A total of 144 Nile tilapia juveniles with an average initial weight of 30.7 ± 0.03 g were randomly
stocked and allocated to three treatments, each with three replicates. In treatment one, the fish were not chal
lenged with any pathogenic bacteria, while in treatments two and three, they were challenged with Escherichia
coli (ATCC 8739) and Vibrio cholerae (ATCC 9458), respectively. Faecal and blood samples were collected before
and after challenging Nile tilapia. The diversity of microbial communities was assessed by sequencing the V1-V3
regions of the 16S rRNA gene using Illumina NextSeq2000. In total, 216 amplicon sequence variants were
identified in faecal samples and 162 in blood samples, all belonging to the bacteria kingdom. Taxonomic analysis
demonstrates that multiple detected genera encompass species with known pathogenicity to humans and
documented association with foodborne illnesses and mortality. These included Agrobacterium, Streptococcus,
Klebsiella, Clostridium, Brucella, Plesiomanas, Edwardsiella, Aeromonas, and Bacillus. The findings highlight the
importance of incorporating public health considerations within an aquaponic system in which vegetables are
grown together with fish, in order to reduce the risks of contamination and enhance food safety.
Description
Journal article
Keywords
Pathogenic bacteria, Foodborne, Public health, Microbiota diversity
Citation
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/