As the world population grows and becomes more affluent, an increasing number of people include
protein in their diet. Aquaculture is the fastest growing source of animal protein and a major source of
income in Asia, South-America and Africa. Tilapia is a popular fish, both with farmers and consumers,
but disease can cause massive losses on tilapia farms. Streptococcus agalactiae, which can affect tilapia
as well as people, is a major cause of such losses. Currently, antibiotics are commonly used to combat
this problem. This is not sustainable because of the risk of antimicrobial resistance. As an alternative, we
propose to develop a vaccine that would protect fish from all types of S. agalactiae that affect them. This
project brings together scientific expertise in the area of fish disease and vaccine development and
commercial expertise in vaccine production and distribution. Jointly, the partners aim to provide the
global aquaculture industry with effective and affordable tools for sustainable disease control.