Development of protocol for safety assessment of veterinary products in fish farmed in tropical and subtropical climate.

• Grant number: 24/09856-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Silvana Lima Gorniak
• Grantee: Bianca da Costa Tavares da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/08152-0 - Challenge of the use of drugs in fish farming in the context of One Health: evaluation of efficacy, safety and risk analysis, AP.TEM

Abstract

Aquaculture is experiencing constant growth on a global scale and has followed the same pattern in Brazilian agribusiness, for instance, in the production of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Consequently, the practice of intensive and super-intensive fish farming is becoming increasingly common. On the other hand, unlike other agricultural sectors, aquaculture in Brazil still lacks authorized veterinary drugs intended for treating diseases in production fish species. In fact, a search of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply data reveals that only two antimicrobials are registered for use in production fish, and there are no authorized antiparasitics for these animals in the country, highlighting a scarcity of therapeutic options for disease management in aquaculture. Additionally, the few products available for use in fish have had their studies conducted in temperate-zone countries of the northern hemisphere, not in hot-climate countries like Brazil, which has higher water body temperatures that directly influence pharmacokinetic parameters. This is particularly significant for aquatic animals since fish, being ectothermic, adjust their body temperature according to environmental thermal variations, which significantly impacts the rate at which they biotransform substances. Pharmacokinetics and metabolism, in turn, influence residue concentrations in edible tissues and are crucial considerations for establishing withdrawal periods and risk assessments, aiming at food and environmental safety within a One Health context.The objective of this study is, therefore, to develop a protocol for the safety assessment of veterinary products such as Imidacloprid and Florfenicol in tropical water fish, using Lambari (Astyanax altiparanae) in an intensive system, employing active pharmaceutical ingredient evaluation techniques with and without radiolabeling.