Bacterial disease is a major threat to U.S. Catfish farming, affecting fish health, farm profitability, and the stability of an important domestic food supply

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded North Dakota State University $591,500 under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (CFDA 10.310) on May 15, 2026, to develop a web-based vaccine discovery tool for identifying promising vaccine targets against bacterial pathogens that threaten U.S. catfish farming.

The project will combine proprietary and public pathogen genetic sequence data to produce ranked candidate vaccine lists for three key bacterial pathogens affecting catfish: Aeromonas hydrophila, Flavobacterium covae, and Edwardsiella piscicida. The team will validate approximately ten candidates per cycle across six cycles, using test results to refine future selections. The tool addresses a critical gap: no commercially available vaccines exist for these pathogens, forcing farmers to rely on reduced feeding or antibiotic-medicated feeds, which contribute to antibiotic resistance and multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Performance occurs at North Dakota State University in North River, North Dakota, with a period of performance from May 15, 2026, through May 14, 2029. Mississippi State University is a sub-recipient under sub-award 20266702245862-FAR0039644 (awarded June 29, 2026), delivering systems biology reverse vaccinology work as an integrated vaccine prediction tool component.

The project targets reduced disease-driven losses in catfish production, decreased reliance on antibiotics, and strengthened resilience in U.S. catfish aquaculture, addressing a nearly 50 percent decline in domestic catfish production between 2005 and 2013 where disease was a major contributing factor.

A USDA report cited in this project notes a nearly 50% decline in domestic catfish production (2005-2013), with disease identified as a major contributing factor. Farmers often have limited tools including reducing feed (which slows growth and reduces production) or relying on antibiotic-medicated feeds, which can contribute to antibiotic resistance and the spread of multi-drug resistant elements. Despite substantial research effort, there are no commercially available vaccines for key bacterial pathogens affecting catfish, including aeromonas hydrophila, flavobacterium covae, and edwardsiella piscicida. This GAP matters beyond the farm: healthier fish means more reliable food production, stronger rural economies connected to aquaculture, and reduced public concern around antibiotic use. This project will create a practical, user-friendly web-based vaccine discovery tool that helps researchers identify the most promising vaccine targets from large amounts of pathogen genetic information by combining proprietary and public sequence data and producing ranked candidate lists for testing. Importantly, the project will not stop at computer predictions: the team will produce and test candidates in repeated validation cycles (about 10 candidates per cycle across six cycles) and use the results to improve future selections. The successful completion of the project will speed up the path to effective vaccines, reduce losses from disease, lower reliance on antibiotics, and strengthen the resilience and sustainability of U.S. Catfish aquaculture.