This study describes antibiotic use by small-scale freshwater aquaculture farmers in the upper Mekong Delta in southwestern Vietnam and their knowledge and practices towards disease cause and prevention. Forty-five farmers were included, of which 19 (42%) cultivated tilapia (Oreochromis sp.), 13 (29%) striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) and 13 (29%) freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). Antibiotics were used by tilapia and striped catfish farmers (84% and 69%, respectively), but not by any of the prawn farmers. Most farmers (72%) used antibiotics for around three days when treating diseases, depending on whether the fish recovered and the farmers' economic means. If farmers perceived that the antibiotic treatment had failed, the most common response was to change to another type of antibiotic. Some farmers also used antibiotics in the absence of clinical symptoms as a preventive measure. In the absence of rapid, cost-effective diagnostics the likelihood for incorrect use of antibiotics is high, which has implications for antibiotic resistance. Moreover, the sequential use of different antibiotics following therapeutic failure is a risk factor for emergence of resistance. All farmers surveyed were aware of risks associated with antibiotic use. This may lead to successful intervention towards reduced antibiotic use in freshwater fish farming in Vietnam.

中文翻译：

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越南湄公河上游三角洲小规模养殖户在淡水养殖中使用抗生素

本研究描述了越南西南部湄公河上游三角洲小规模淡水养殖农民使用抗生素的情况，以及他们对疾病病因和预防的知识和做法。包括 45 名养殖者，其中 19 名（42%）养殖罗非鱼（Oreochromis sp.）、13 名（29%）条纹鲶鱼（Pangasianodon hypophthalmus）和 13 名（29%）淡水虾（Macrobrachium rosenbergii）。罗非鱼和条纹鲶鱼养殖者使用了抗生素（分别为 84% 和 69%），但没有任何虾养殖者使用抗生素。大多数养殖者（72%）在治疗疾病时使用抗生素三天左右，这取决于鱼是否康复以及养殖者的经济能力。如果农民认为抗生素治疗失败，最常见的反应是改用另一种抗生素。一些农民还在没有临床症状的情况下使用抗生素作为预防措施。在缺乏快速、具有成本效益的诊断方法的情况下，错误使用抗生素的可能性很高，这对抗生素耐药性产生了影响。此外，治疗失败后连续使用不同的抗生素是出现耐药性的危险因素。所有接受调查的农民都知道与抗生素使用相关的风险。这可能导致成功干预以减少越南淡水鱼类养殖中抗生素的使用。治疗失败后连续使用不同的抗生素是出现耐药性的一个危险因素。所有接受调查的农民都知道与抗生素使用相关的风险。这可能导致成功干预以减少越南淡水鱼类养殖中抗生素的使用。治疗失败后连续使用不同的抗生素是出现耐药性的一个危险因素。所有接受调查的农民都知道与抗生素使用相关的风险。这可能导致成功干预以减少越南淡水鱼类养殖中抗生素的使用。