Bacteriophage Therapy for Aeromonas salmonicida: A Systematic Evaluation of Translational Readiness in Aquaculture

Aeromonas salmonicida is an important threat to the sustainability of aquaculture production and a major contributor to antimicrobial resistance, which has encouraged bacteriophage therapy. This review evaluated the current evidence base for bacteriophage therapy against A. salmonicida. Literature searches were carried out in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science prior to 2 April 2026, according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. After removing 46 duplicate records, a final dataset of 108 unique publications was obtained for analysis. A data extraction form was created to include studies examining bacteriophage activity against A. salmonicida. Information about phage properties, experimental conditions, treatment outcomes, and study methods was extracted. Study quality and translation potential were evaluated with a qualitative appraisal tool, and a narrative synthesis was chosen due to significant heterogeneity. A total of 22 studies met the inclusion criteria; however, most were conducted in vitro, with few in vivo. Because of heterogeneity in phage-host systems, study designs, and outcomes, systems cannot be compared. Overall, bacteriophage therapy is a promising targeted treatment to address A. salmonicida infection. Evidence from these studies suggests more controlled studies, phage genome safety assessment, evaluation of phage resistance development, and field trials are necessary before the adoption of these treatments.

Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang