A review of zoonotic pathogens in Tilapia: Uma revisão sobre patogenos zoonóticos de Tilápia

Oreochromis niloticus, or Nile tilapia, is widely consumed. This fish can cause several direct ecological imbalances in addition to transporting several pathogens. Pathogens in tilapia are responsible for several deaths in natural environments and commercial aquaculture, and hense, constitute an economic, social, and sanitary threat. This study gathered information from the literature and identified 18 species of pathogens with zoonotic potential found in tilapia, in addition to mapping the distribution of these fishes in Brazilian natural environments. We found that the most common pathogens involved were bacteria, protozoa, fungi and helminths (Trematoda and Nematoda). In Brazil, we also identified that the introduction of O. niloticus has grown in recent decades, and O. niloticus have been found mainly in the eastern region of the country, overlaying the region with the highest fish population density in Brazil. This work serves as an alert and a guide for planning public health policies to mitigate the possible consequences of the uncontrolled introduction of tilapia in the national territory