Dietary Probiotics Improve Growth, Immunity and Disease Resistance in Fish Against <i>Aeromonas hydrophila</i> Infection

ABSTRACT Aquaculture is a rapidly expanding industry that aspires to fulfil the need for animal protein of the world, but disease outbreaks, especially those caused by Aeromonas hydrophila , are a very significant constraint on sustainable production. The common use of antibiotics to treat such infections has raised valid interest in the issue of antimicrobial resistance, thus creating interest in alternative disease management options. This review determines the potential of probiotics as a disease‐preventive method against A. hydrophila in aquaculture environments. Existing literature shows that the growth performance, feed utilization, immune responses, survival rates and overall fish health can be improved by dietary probiotic supplementation, which reduces the dependence on antibiotics. It is also indicated that probiotics enhance biochemical and haematological parameters, protein utilization efficiency and food safety, and help in the maintenance of sustainable aquaculture practice. Irrespective of these advantages, the effectiveness of probiotics in managing infections of A. hydrophila is intermittent mainly because of the differences in probiotic strains, the host species, the culture environment, probiotic dosage and frequency of administration. In addition, recent research does not always possess standardized methodologies and entirely mechanistic understandings. To fill these knowledge gaps, systematic, strain‐specific and dose‐optimization researches are necessary to find the evidence‐based applications of probiotics in aquaculture and ensure long‐term sustainability in aquaculture disease prevention.