In vitro and in vivo antibiofilm effect of copper nanoparticles against aquaculture pathogens

•CuNPs showed antibiofilm property against aquaculture pathogens.•In vitro and In vivo studies explored non-toxicity on Artemia salina.•CuNPs could be an effective antibioflim agent against aquaculture pathogens.

The emergence of multidrug resistance biofilms and inactive conventional antibiotics has encouraged a novel strategy to overcome biofilm infections in aquaculture industries. In the pioneer study the well-known copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) synthesized through one pot synthesis were explored in a new venue called antibiofilm agent against Vibrio alginolyticus (ATCC 17749), Vibrio parahaemolyticus (ATCC 17802) and Aeromonas hydrophila (ATCC 7966) both in vitro and in vivo analysis. In the in vitro analysis the CuNPs showed more than 60% biofilm inhibition in all the test pathogens at the biofilm inhibitory concentration of 100 ng/ml of D·H2O. Further the CuNPs tremendously reduced 95% of the cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and 85% of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production, which are the major factors influencing biofilm formation in V. alginolyticus. In the in vivo analysis also CuNPs showed no toxic effect but higher survival rate in Artemia salina. The toxicological tests and in vivo studies explicate the potential of CuNPs as a novel candidate to overcome the biofilm problem in aquaculture industries.

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