Effects of dietary live yeast Debaryomyces hansenii on the immune and antioxidant system in juvenile leopard grouper Mycteroperca rosacea exposed to stress

The immunological response of both groups of fish was evaluated. Samples were collected at weeks 4 (stressed fish) and 7 (recovering fish) to determine the levels of hemoglobin, plasmatic protein, and immunoglobulin M (IgM) as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT). IgM increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in the recovering fish, which had all been fed the yeast diet. A significantly increase was also observed in superoxide dismutase activity in juvenile fish fed the yeast diet; however catalase activity was not affected by the dietary yeast supplement. Overall, fish that received the yeast supplement in their diet have an enhanced immune response as compared with their control counterparts. The present results show that a diet supplemented with D. hansenii stimulates the immune system of juvenile M. rosacea thus enhancing their resistance against A. ocellatum.