Antibiotics in Aquaculture: An Overview

Abstract

The presence of antibiotic compounds in terrestrial and aquatic environment is of higher interest world wide due to the emergence as dangerous pollutants of the environment and to the human health. Fish and shrimp aquaculture is recognized as an important livelihood, which has good economic returns. Thus vast arrays of antibiotics are applied to the aquaculture in a belief that it will enhance the production and also in a hope that it will improve the socio economic profile in developing countries. But the bane of antibiotics to the marine and other aquatic ecosystems is not considered to a larger extent. The accessibility of the great number of antibiotics, already standard for human use, makes them a precious source for treatment of other, than infectious, diseases in humans and animals. This review paper highlights the usage of antibiotics and their impacts in aquaculture environment.