Advances in Fish Immunology: Novel Strategies for Disease Prevention

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 16 August 2026 | Viewed by 672

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Aquaculture, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
Interests: aquaculture; natural additives; immunology; pathology
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Guest Editor
Immunology and Vaccinology Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, Instituto PoliItécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz 23096, BCS, Mexico
Interests: immunology; immunological cellular pathways; immunobiotechnology; probiotics; immunostimulants; vaccinology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A Special Issue on the topic of “Advances in Fish Immunology: Novel Strategies for Disease Prevention” is being launched by the Animals Journal. Farmed fish provide high-quality protein for the growing global population. However, diseases caused by pathogens, mainly viruses and bacteria, are a primary concern. Therefore, the study of disease resistance and prevention in fish is of vital importance to the aquaculture industry. The lack of sufficient knowledge in fish immunity has limited progress in understanding immune system evolution, selecting disease-resistant breeds, and developing effective vaccines. Fortunately, the emergence of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism, along with advances in genome sequencing technologies and bioinformatics in several other cultured fish species, has greatly accelerated the discovery of immune-related genes in fish. Modulation of the immune response—both innate and specific—plays a fundamental role in disease prevention in farmed fish. Among their other benefits, vaccines, probiotics, postbiotics, medicinal plants, and other additives contribute to this immune modulation. Reviews, full-length articles and short communications containing original and applied research on the recent advances in immunology of aquaculture fish, will be welcome.

Dr. Antonio Luna-González
Dr. Carlos Angulo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • fish immunology
  • innate and adaptive immunology
  • mucosal immunology
  • host-pathogen interactions
  • vaccines
  • probiotics
  • postbiotics
  • medicinal plants

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 11105 KB  
Article
The Effects of Compound Chinese Herbal Medicine on the Growth and Digestive and Immune Systems of Megalobrama amblycephala
by Xijing Ye, Yunsheng Zhang, Hu Xia, Huangjie Fan, Jiahui Hu, Yanan Gong, Rurou Fu, Fuyan Chen and Liangguo Liu
Animals 2026, 16(6), 925; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16060925 - 15 Mar 2026
Viewed by 430
Abstract
Chinese herbal medicine is rich in active ingredients that can promote growth and enhance immune function. In this study, Lycium barbarum, Panax ginseng, Astragalus membranaceus and Phragmitis rhizoma were crushed and mixed to prepare a compound Chinese herbal medicine. The basic [...] Read more.
Chinese herbal medicine is rich in active ingredients that can promote growth and enhance immune function. In this study, Lycium barbarum, Panax ginseng, Astragalus membranaceus and Phragmitis rhizoma were crushed and mixed to prepare a compound Chinese herbal medicine. The basic feed of Megalobrama amblycephala was supplemented with 0 (control group), 1% (T1), 2% (T2) and 4% (T3) of this compound medicine. After raising for 90 days, in the T1 and T2 experimental groups, the length and width of intestinal villi and the activities of amylase, trypsin and lipase in the intestine were significantly higher than those in the control group. The weight gain rate and specific growth rates were highest and the feed coefficient was lowest in the T2 experimental group. In the control group, a large number of dilated hepatic sinusoids were detected, while this number significantly decreased in the T1 experimental group and they were not detected at all in the T2 and T3 experimental groups. The spleen and liver body indices were highest in the T2 experimental group. In all experimental groups, the Lys content and the activities of T-SOD, CAT, ACP, AKP and GSH-PX in serum were significantly higher than those of the control group. The expression of IgM, C3, TNF-ɑ and IL-1β in the head kidney; C3, TNF-ɑ and IL-1β in the spleen; C3 and IL-1β in the gills; IgM, C3 and IL-1β in liver; and IL-1β in the intestine was highest in the T2 experimental group. After challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila, the cumulative mortality rate of M. amblycephala was lowest in the T2 experimental group. The results of this study indicated that this compound Chinese herbal medicine could significantly enhance immunity, increase the activity of intestinal digestion-related enzymes and promote the growth of M. amblycephala. The appropriate addition amount of this compound Chinese herbal medicine in the basic feed of M. amblycephala was 2%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fish Immunology: Novel Strategies for Disease Prevention)
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