Chile is one of the world leaders in the aquaculture industry, positioning itself among the main producers of species such as Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout, which are highly demanded in international markets. However, for the industry to be able to guarantee productivity and competitiveness at a global level, it must meet high standards of health and breeding of salmonids. It is therefore essential to prevent and treat viral infections that affect the health of the fish, which jeopardize the stability and quality of production.
One of these threats is Piscine Orthoreovirus (PRV), a pathogen that has been referred to as emerging in our country with prevalence in culture farms reaching up to 46%. This virus mainly attacks the heart and red blood cells of fish, affecting their tolerance to stress and low oxygen conditions in aquaculture environments.
To solve this problem, a team of researchers from the University of Santiago (Usach), led by Dr. Marcelo Cortez, academic and researcher of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology, developed an innovative vaccine in collaboration with the company Veterquimica, to control infections caused by the pathogen.
According to Dr. Marcelo Cortez, “in this development a recombinant virus was used which, in laboratory scale tests, has proven to be effective in preventing and controlling PRV in farmed fish, especially in salmon, one of the most commercialized species of our country abroad.”
The researcher comments that “this innovation can bring potential benefits to the national aquaculture industry, contributing to improve the sanitation and management standards of the crops. This could mean, in the future, a significant reduction in the economic and productive losses associated with PRV infections.”
He also points out that “this technology has the potential to guarantee more stable and sustainable production, which would strengthen Chile's leadership as a more reliable and competitive supplier in global markets.”
It should be noted that this innovation has a patent granted in Chile, a process that was supported by our Technology Management Department at Vriic. The patenting, shared between Usach and Veterquimica, is an example of successful technological collaboration between industry and academia.
Learn more about the technologies developed at our University by accessing the website of the Technology Management Office at www.dgt.usach.cl.