Antibiotics Use in African Aquaculture: Their Potential Risks on Fish and Human Health. In: Abia A. and Lanza G. (Eds) Current Microbiological Research in Africa. Springer, Cham, pp. 203-221.

Abstract

Antibiotics are used abusively in humans and agriculture, including aquaculture, making them omnipresent in the environment, posing health risks to aquatic animals and humans. However, how antibiotics affect the anatomy and physiology of fish, including the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in fish in Africa are currently poorly understood. This chapter synthesized the available literature on the potential risks of antibiotics on cultured fish and human health from Africa. The limited available studies indicate that few antibiotics improve fish growth but do not affect their survival rate. Antibiotics application on fish cause body malformation and damage, which induce hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, leukocytosis, hematopoiesis, and lymphocytosis, suggesting sustained toxic effects. Antibiotics use in fish and other foods like shrimps and vegetables together with antibiotics residues in the aquatic environment have led to an increase in the prevalence of ARB and ARGs, posing a human health risk in various African countries. Limited studies indicate higher residues of antibiotics in cultured fish, which exceed the maximum limits set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the World Health Organization. Thus, policies and mechanisms for limiting the use of antibiotics in food animals to protect human health in Africa are urgently needed.