Sustainable Aquaculture Health Management: Integrating Water Environment, Nutrition, and Antibiotic-Alternative Strategies for Disease Prevention

Aquaculture has emerged as the fastest-growing food-production sector and a vital component of global protein security. However, the intensification of production systems has created a syndicate of ecological and biological stressors that threaten both animal health and environmental integrity. Chronic water contamination, unbalanced nutrition, and heavy antibiotic dependence have facilitated recurrent disease outbreaks and fostered the expansion of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in aquaculture ecosystems. Accumulation of nitrogenous waste and organic matter alters pond and recirculating-system microbiomes while weakening host immunity. Simultaneously, suboptimal diets and long-term antibiotic use disrupt the gut–mucosa–microbiome axis, undermining disease tolerance. Although pathogen-focused research has illuminated mechanisms of infection and immunity, system-level strategies that integrate water quality, nutritional management, and antibiotic stewardship remain underdeveloped. The field now demands interdisciplinary frameworks that consider aquaculture as a dynamic ecological triad involving the animal, the feed, and the water.This Research Topic aims to catalyze practical, integrated solutions for sustainable disease control in aquaculture through environmental engineering, functional nutrition, and eco-friendly therapeutics. It seeks to advance understanding of how manipulating the microbial and chemical landscape of aquaculture systems can suppress pathogens before infection occurs and optimize host resilience without antibiotic dependence. By fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue among microbiologists, nutritionists, and systems engineers, this Topic intends to build a holistic evidence base supporting the design of resilient production ecosystems. The ultimate goal is to translate mechanistic insights into field-ready innovations that safeguard aquatic animal health, enhance productivity, and align with global One Health objectives.To gather further insights into sustainable disease prevention frameworks that integrate the animal, feed, and environment, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Aquaculture water management: treatment and microbial engineering of influent/effluent systems; biofloc and recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) design; AMR gene surveillance and mitigation; relationships between water microbiome dynamics, nutrient cycling, and disease outcomes.o Nutrition and functional feed additives: bioactive ingredients (e.g., phytobiotics, organic acids, β-glucans) enhancing mucosal immunity, microbial balance, and growth; gut–mucosa–microbiome axis modulation.o Probiotics, synbiotics, and microbiome engineering: host-specific colonization, defined microbial consortia for pathogen exclusion, and safety benchmarks for environmental probiotic applications.o Antibiotic alternatives and green therapeutics: vaccines and adjuvants optimized for aquatic species; antimicrobial peptides; quorum-sensing inhibitors; nanotechnology-enabled delivery; and plant-derived compounds ensuring residue safety.o AMR mitigation at the farm and watershed level: antibiotic stewardship practices, residue monitoring, ARG dissemination tracking, and integrative interventions reducing selection pressure.o Translational and field studies: cost-effectiveness analyses, regulatory perspectives, and real-world case studies from freshwater, marine, biofloc, and recirculating systems within a One Health framework. Topic editors: Rongrong Ma, Ya-Xiong Tao, Yibin Yang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81518/sustainable-aquaculture-health-management-integrating-water-environment-nutrition-and-antibiotic-alternative-strategies-for-disease-prevention