Editorial: Aquatic Animal Health and Epidemiology: Disease Surveillance, Prevention, and Control

Prabhugouda Siriyappagouder^1*Naveen Kumar B T^2*Balbir Bagicha Singh³Krishna Thakur⁴Azad Ismail saheb⁵Kua Beng Chu⁶

• ¹Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
• ²ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Mandapam, India
• ³Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, India
• ⁴University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
• ⁵Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat, Kuwait
• ⁶Institut Penyelidikan Perikanan, Batu Maung, Malaysia

multidisciplinary approaches, including, but not limited to, pathology, epidemiology, marine and environmental sciences, and molecular biology. Early diagnostic tools play a key role in identifying pathogens and diseases, while prophylactic strategies such as vaccination, biosecurity measures, and good husbandry practices are vital for effectively controlling disease outbreaks. Our research collection Aquatic Animal Health and Epidemiology: Disease Surveillance, Prevention, and Control includes 10 research and review articles that have advanced our understanding of host-pathogen interactions, pathology, pathogen diversity, and their molecular characterization, as well as diagnostics and predictive surveillance modeling of disease dynamics within aquatic environments.Environmental stressors are increasingly affecting aquatic animal health, especially in open-sea cages, as climate change alters environmental conditions. A major challenge is maintaining optimal dissolved oxygen levels in cages. Cerqueira et al. ( 2024) developed a predictive model to estimate oxygen concentrations in cages. Factors such as rising water temperatures, algal blooms, eutrophication, and high stocking density reduce oxygen levels, leading to hypoxic conditions. Early detection of these conditions is crucial to reducing fish stress and improving their welfare. To address this, a machine learning method was used to predict hypoxia events in salmon farms.The emergence of new diseases remains a serious concern due to constantly shifting environmental conditions, interactions, and pathogen exchange between wild and farmed fish populations. Efforts continue to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission between wild and farmed populations, as well as from farms to the environment. conditions. The vaccine offered long-lasting immunity and protected against the challenge but 69 did not provide cross-protection against other strains of V. anguillarum. It provided a level of 70 protection similar to that of a commercial vaccine under field conditions for lumpfish in sea 71 Vaccines, functional feeds, and biosecurity measures are essential to maintaining fish health, 73 boosting productivity, and promoting sustainability. Maintaining optimal water quality 74 parameters is also essential. Poor water quality can induce stress and suppress the fish's immune 75 system, leading to disease outbreaks. Using inorganic and organic materials to regulate primary 76 production and water quality parameters may have adverse effects on fish health due to residual 77 effects. Ciani et al. (2024) show that using calcium oxide (CaO) particles to treat fish farm 78 water can help reduce populations of sea lice, plankton, and echinoderms. The proper dose and 79 frequency of use effectively reduce unwanted biological entities, but CaO exposure did not 80 induce fish mortality or histopathological damage in the skin, eyes, or intestines. This highlights the health and welfare of fish. 83Genetics is also very important factor; it has become a key criterion in modern fish health management, enabling the development of disease-resistant strains. breeding 85 the production of inherited offspring that are more resistant to pathogens diseases 86 and that grow faster. Subsequently, dependence on vaccines, functional feeds, and disease-87 control agents can be reduced, thereby improving both profitability and sustainability of 88 Aquaculture is key to meeting global food needs, but infectious diseases pose a major concern 108 for these efforts. Improvements in disease detection, prevention, and monitoring help achieve 109 sustainable aquaculture production. This research topic presents a collection of articles offering 110 insights and recommendations for future research in aquatic animal health and epidemiology.