Since 2009, A. hydrophila infections in aquaculture operations have
tremendous economic impact on catfish aquaculture in the
southeastern United States and cultured grass carp in China l9,lU l.
Therefore, many efforts are being directed towards finding effec-
tively preventive measures which may damper the events behind
the pathogenic process ofA. hydrophilu. ln an attempt to control the
spread of this disease, A. hydrnphila was controlled by fish farmers
using wide range of antibiotics in the past. However, antibiotic
treatment may be detrimental to the environment and human
health [ll]. As described previously, a recombinant vaccine via
intramuscular injection in an attempt to control the spread of this
disease is being developed against A. hydrophila but it is currently
not commercially available in China [12 14]‘ Recently, we found
that a novel functionalized. single-walled carbon nanotubes
(SWCNTs) as a vector for the recombinant protein Aera (a virulence
factor that has hemolytic and cytolytic properties) through bath
immunization could produce specific antibodies in grass carp to
resist A. hydrophila infection l3l.