Effect of a Commercial Probiotic and Cassia auriculata Leaf Powder on Vibriosis Induced Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii

摘要

A study was carried out to determine the influence of a commercial probiotic ('Aqualact') and dried leaf powder of Cassia auriculata against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Histological studies in the hepatopancreas and gills of prawns, during infectivity trials, showed bacterial invasion and multiplication in their lumens. Oedema and cell necrosis were the major pathological changes observed in gills and hepatopancreas. Degenerative changes in the electrophoretic pattern of muscle proteins were proportional to the concentration of vibrios infected. Infected prawns fed on probiotic supplemented feed could show a regaining trend towards normal protein bands. Marked reduction in mortality could be observed in infected prawns fed on feed supplemented with probiotic as well as with powdered Cassia auriculata leaves.