A novel vibriophage vB_Vp_PvVp04 against pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus and its formulation for inclusion in shrimp feed

Phage therapy represents a promising alternative in aquaculture to control bacterial infections, helping to manage antibiotic resistance and promote healthier aquatic environments. In the present work, the phage vB_Vp_PvVp04 genome and its host range were described. Four strategies for the incorporation of this phage in shrimp Penaeus vannamei feed were explored: directly included as liquid (IL), encapsulation (EN), freeze-drying (FD), and encapsulation + freeze-drying (EN + FD). The results showed that vB_Vp_PvVp04 infects Vibrio parahaemolyticus CIBGEN003 and inhibited growth by 87.6% after 12 h. Its host range includes other Vibrio species. Its genome, 39,824 bp in length and lacking tRNA or antibiotic resistance genes, contains 67 ORFs. Phylogenetic analysis grouped vB_Vp_PvVp04 with other Myoviridae phages. During storage stability testing, diets containing vB_Vp_PvVp04 maintained stable viability over 90 days, except in IL formulations, which showed a significant reduction. The FD and EN + FD phages showed greater presence in the shrimp stomach, reaching 1011 PFU/g, which would demonstrate that these methods for phage inclusion in feed can be a viable strategy for controlling opportunistic pathogens in white shrimp farming.