Tilapia lake virus disease: Vaccine strategies to control the threat to tilapia aquaculture

Since the first report of a novel disease caused by tilapia lake virus (TiLV) in 2014, the disease (TiLVD) has gained considerable attention as one of the most devastating viral diseases in tilapia aquaculture globally. The virus is both highly virulent and transmissible and has been detected in many countries worldwide. It poses a severe threat to the global tilapia aquaculture industry, food security and many people's livelihoods in low and middle-income countries. The absence of effective treatment strategies and inadequate biosecurity measures means the virus's rapid spread is likely to continue. Vaccination has proven to be an effective approach to preventing and controlling disease in finfish aquaculture. The vaccine's efficacy and the delivery system's suitability are essential for evoking an appropriate immune response against the pathogen. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the strategies being used to develop vaccines for TiLVD. Nanovaccines, which offer a new approach to prevent TiLVD in farmed tilapia, are also discussed.