65873 - Health and Hygiene in Aquaculture

Learning outcomes

Main aim of the course is to furnish to the student a good knowledge about health issues in aquaculture and related strategies for their diagnosis, prevention and control. In particular, the student should be able to demonstrate that he has acquired a good knowledge useful for: recognizing the major infectious and parasitic diseases of farmed aquatic animals, the related diagnostic techniques and different methods of prevention and control; planning biosecurity measures necessary to prevent the onset and spread of infectious and parasitic diseases in fish farms in order to guarantee animal health and quality of fish products; assessing the potential public health aspects related to infectious and parasitic diseases in aquaculture

Course contents

Principal factors conditioning the outbreak of transmissible diseases in different fish farming systems - Economic losses due to transmissible diseases in aquaculture – National and international normative concerning the infectious and parasitic diseases of aquatic animals – Overview of the direct prophylaxis measures adopted in aquaculture against main infectious and parasitic diseases - Main parasitic diseases of bivalve molluscs - Measures of prevention and control applied against the main transmissible diseases of freshwater and marine farmed fish - Public health aspects linked to infectious and parasitic fish diseases caused by zoonotic agents -Disinfection, therapy and vaccination in aquaculture: theoretical, practical and normative considerations - Diagnostic approach on the main transmissibile diseases of aquatic organisms and the fish-borne parasitic zoonoses.

Readings/Bibliography

Notes by the teacher on Virtuale Platform

Diagnosis and Control of Diseases of Fish and Shellfish (2017). Eds Austin B. & Newaj-Fyzul A., Wiley, UK

Fish diseases and disorders. vol 3 Viral, bacterial and fungal infections. (2011) Eds P.T.K.Woo & D.W. Bruno, CABI Publishing

Fish Diseases and Disorders. Vol I. Protozoan and Metazoan Infections (2006), Ed. P.T.K. Woo, CAB Intern., Wallingford, UK.

Fish Diseases (2008), Vol. 1 e Vol. 2, Eds. Eiras e coll., Science Publishers, Enfield, USA.

Aquaculture Biosecurity. Prevention, control and eradication of aquatic animal disease (2006). Eds. Scarfe e coll., Blackwell Publ.

OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code and OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals (last edition online www.oie.int )

Teaching methods

The course is composed of 40 hours, including theory, theorical-practical seminars and practical lab activities. The theoretical lectures take place in a teaching room properly supplied with multimedia equipment (PC and PC video-projector), using presentations based on power-point slides

Assessment methods

The assessment of learning is through an oral final exam, which aims at testing the knowledge acquired by the student on the topics covered during the course as well as to assess the methodological and critical skills acquired on biosecurity measures useful for prevention and control of transmissible diseases in farmed aquatic animals with reference to the most relevant issues of animal and Public Health.

The oral test lasts about 30 minutes and consists of a first topic chosen by the student and a second question by the teacher, both included among the topics presented during the course. An optimal knowledge of the topics combined to a critical and transversal autonomous approach and the use of a scientific terminology will get the maximum score, such as 30-30 cum laude. A deep knowledge of the topics with autonomous critical and transversal approach and the use of a correct scientific terminology will get the score of 25-29. A proper knowledge of the topics and a proper critical approach with a correct terminology will get the score of 20-24. A sufficient knowledge and critical approach with a correct terminology will get the score of 18-19.

The final score of the Integrated Course "Health in animal production" is calculated as an arithmetic mean approximated by excess of the scores obtained in the examinations of the courses “Communicable Diseases and public health” and "Health and hygiene in aquaculture”.

Teaching tools

PC video-projector, web-connected PC, teaching lab

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Gustinelli