Streptococcus vaccines registered

The company, which is known as Merck Animal Health in North America, has called the new vaccines Aquavac Strep Sa and Norvax Strep Si.

“We are pleased that we have obtained the registration for Aquavac Strep Sa and Norvax Strep Si in Vietnam. Once available, these products will help producers protect their fish against streptococcus,” said Merck’s Norman Lim.

Streptococcus affects warm water fish in both marine and freshwater environments and can result in mortality rates in fish as high as 70 per cent. Merck conducted extensive sampling of farms in the world’s most important tilapia-producing regions and found that streptococcus accounted for 70 percent of all pathogens collected, making it the most prevalent disease affecting tilapia. The two significant species are Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus iniae.