Tehran — Researchers at the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR) in Tehran have mastered the technical know-how to produce aquatic vaccines, a breakthrough that could free the country from reliance on imports, a report says.

 

The Animal Biological Products Research Group at ACECR Tehran launched its research into aquatic vaccines in the Iranian year 2005. In 2014, it secured its first production license from the Iran Veterinary Organization for a vaccine against streptococcosis. Three years later, in 2017, the group obtained a second license, this time for a fish vaccine against yersiniosis, according to the report.

 

ACECR-produced vaccines have been used on fish farms across Iran since 2014, allowing the group's technical team to gain valuable hands-on experience in fish vaccination. Starting in 2015, vaccine production began in partnership with a knowledge-based company, and since then, fish vaccines have been manufactured and supplied by the company with technical backing from the research group, it added.

 

“In 2017, ACECR researchers turned their attention to vaccines for marine fish. They established ties with cage aquaculture farms in southern Iran and collected bacterial samples from those sites. Initial vaccine samples were produced and tested at the farm level. This research yielded the technical know-how to produce vaccines against streptococcosis and vibriosis in sea bass, and securing a production license has now been placed on the working agenda of the Animal Products Research Group at ACECR Tehran.”