Histopathological changes in giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man 1879) fed with probiotic Bacillus licheniformis upon challenge with Vibrio alginolyticus.

Abstract

The effect of dietary supplementation of probiotic bacteriumBacillus licheniformisonthe histopathological changes inMacrobrachium rosenbergiijuveniles (4.0 0.02 g)challenged with known pathogenic strain ofVibrio alginolyticusare reported. Twoisocaloric basal diets supplemented with probiotic bacteriaB. licheniformis(1.09109cfu/g feed) and other without probiotic supplementation were fed totheM. rosenbergiijuveniles for 45 days. The histological observations revealed nosignificant changes in the hepatopancreas and gut tissues of both the experimentaland the control groups which indicate that the present bacterium is a safe candidateprobiont for the host. Prawns were challenged withV. alginolyticusafter 45 days offeeding with probiotic diet.The histopathological studies of the hepatopancreasrevealed thatM. rosenbergiifed with probiotic-supplemented diet showed lesschanges as compared to the prawns fed with control diet on second and fourth dayof post-experimental challenge withV. alginolyticus. Histopathological observationsrevealed that the gills of the prawns fed with control diet were severely affected incomparison to the prawns fed with probiotic-supplemented diet after challengingwithV. alginolyticus. Results from this study revealed the improved protectionby dietary incorporation ofB. licheniformisin reducing the histopathologicalmanifestations due toV. alginolyticusinfection in freshwater prawn.