Ozgur Erdogan
Ozgur Erdogan, a doctoral student with the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, is focused on better understanding and controlling Aeromonas hydrophila, a virulent fish pathogen responsible for motile aeromonas septicemia, MAS. This disease has had significant negative impacts on the Southeastern U.S. aquaculture industry.
“MAS is a highly important disease for the aquaculture industry — particularly in warm-water aquaculture species like catfish,” Erdogan said.
According to the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, a 2009 outbreak of MAS caused widespread infection and mortality in commercial catfish operations in west Alabama and east Mississippi. Subsequent research estimates that the disease has resulted in annual catfish aquaculture losses of roughly three million pounds of food-size fish.
Although multiple warm-water species, such as tilapia and largemouth bass, are susceptible to infection, Erdogan’s research will focus on channel catfish because of its susceptibility to the pathogen and its role as a major aquaculture species in the Southern U.S.
Erdogan said his study aims to understand the pathogen’s growth, survival and virulence under varying environmental conditions.
“In addition to investigating the pathogen’s behavior, my study explores how environmental factors like salinity influence A. hydrophila's virulence and survival,” he said. “These findings will help inform best practices for managing water quality and optimizing disease control measures, contributing to a more sustainable aquaculture industry.
“Furthermore, we will have more information about the bacterium itself, hopefully leading us to find a preventive disease management method.”
Erdogan holds a master's in fish health from Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. His current research is supported by Animal Health and Disease Research Capacity Funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
“Ultimately, my goal is to provide solutions for disease management in aquaculture systems — especially for catfish farms,” he said.
