Aquaculture bacterial pathogen database: Pathogen monitoring and screening in coastal waters using environmental DNA

Abstract

Increasingly diverse pathogen occurrence in coastal and mariculture areas demands improved monitoring platforms to prevent economic and public health implications. Accessible databases with up-to-date knowledge and taxonomy are critical for detecting and screening environmental pathogens. Condensed from over 3000 relevant reports in peer reviewed articles, we constructed an aquaculture bacterial pathogen database that provides specialized curation of over 210 bacterial pathogenic species impacting aquaculture. Application of the aquaculture bacterial pathogen database to environmental DNA metabarcoding monitoring data in Hong Kong coastal and mariculture waters effectively characterized regional pathogen profiles over a one-year period and improved identification of new potential pathogen targets. The results highlighted the increase in potential pathogen abundance related to aquaculture activity and the associated inorganic nitrogen load, which was chiefly due to the enrichment of Vibrio during the atypical dry winter season. The value of the aquaculture bacterial pathogen database for empowering environmental DNA-based approaches in coastal marine pathogen surveillance benefits water resource management and aquaculture development on a global scale.