1997/10/01 by John F. Burka, K. Larry Hammell, Tor Einar Horsberg +3 · 298 citations
Immunology and Microbiology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Medicine · #Aquaculture disease management and microbiota #Fish Biology and Ecology Studies #Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth #Fish <Actinopterygii> #Aquaculture #Drug #Risk analysis (engineering) #Pharmaceutical industry #Drug development #Intensive care medicine #Pharmacology #Fishery #Medicine #Biology
paper · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2885.1997.00094.x
published in Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 20(5), 333-349 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 1997/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
In contrast to mammalian therapeutics, the use of pharmaceutical substances is rather limited in fish. It is basically restricted to anaesthetic agents and anti-infective agents for parasitic and microbial diseases. Anaesthetic agents are used primarily in fish farm and laboratory settings to provide analgesia and immobilization of fish for minor procedures. The anti-infective agents are used for controlling diseases and the choice of drug depends on efficacy, ease of application, human safety, target animal safety including stress to the fish, environmental impact, regulatory approval, costs, and implications for marketing the fish. In this article, the major drugs used in salmonids in North America and Europe will be reviewed and some insight into future directions for drug development and use for the salmonid industry will be introduced. The mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, side effects, and uses of the drugs are emphasized.