Improving Fish Health and Production in Hong Kong

One of the limiting growth factors to Hong Kong’s aquaculture industry, which provides approximately 5% of the fish consumed in Hong Kong, are infectious diseases including bacterial pathogens. The CityU ambulatory team has been in operation for 1.5 years. In that time, we have diagnosed several bacterial diseases including zoonotic pathogens such as Vibrio sp. Aeromonas sp. and Streptococcus sp.

Each time the veterinarian diagnoses a bacterial disease we test it against a panel of antimicrobials to determine its resistance pattern. Over the course of the last year, we have accumulated over 40 isolates from all over Hong Kong aquatic systems through this service. This programme provides an opportunity to study antimicrobial resistance and farming practices. We can also evaluate spatial and temporal trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns.