Assessment of disease prevalence, risk factors, and health management practices in aquaculture farms of Haryana, India

Abstract

This cross-sectional survey assessed the prevalence of diseases, associated risk factors, and health-management practices among 24 aquaculture farms located in Hisar, Bhiwani, and Fatehabad districts of Haryana, India, during February-April 2023. Over half of the farms (54.2%) reported at least one disease outbreak, with clinical signs such as ulceration, fin rot, and abnormal swimming predominantly suggestive of bacterial infections; however, laboratory confirmation was limited. Preventive and therapeutic interventions were dominated by antibiotic use (approximately 40%), followed by chemical agents, probiotics, and herbal remedies, indicating limited adoption of sustainable and eco-friendly options. Binary logistic regression analysis identified seasonal preparedness (odds ratio [OR] = 0.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01-0.56; p = 0.019) and diversified water sourcing (OR = 0.02; 95% CI: 0.001-0.997; p = 0.050) as significant protective factors against disease outbreaks. These findings should, however, be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size and limited events per predictor. Major constraints included high feed costs, lack of training, and frequent disease incidents. This study recommends strengthening district-level diagnostic infrastructure, promoting farmer training on season-specific biosecurity, and encouraging the use of probiotics and herbal immunostimulants are essential strategies for reducing disease risk and antimicrobial dependence in Haryana’s aquaculture systems.