Research Article IdentifyingBacteriawithPublicHealthSignificancefromFarmed Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Zambia Bertha Chitambo , 1 Musso Munyeme , 2 and Bernard Hang’ombe 1 1 Department of Paraclinical Studies, University of Zambia School of Veterinary Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia 2 Department of Disease Control, University of Zambia School of Veterinary Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia Correspondence should be addressed to Musso Munyeme; mussomunyeme@gmail.com Received 2 December 2022; Revised 30 April 2023; Accepted 15 May 2023; Published 9 June 2023 Academic Editor: Todd R. Callaway Copyright © 2023 Bertha Chitambo et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Zambia has seen rapid development in aquaculture, and in recent years, the industry has experienced disease outbreaks where fsh have increasingly become a potential contributor to emerging bacterial zoonotic diseases. Te aim of this study was to identify bacterial pathogens with zoonotic potential in apparently healthy fsh and water from their habitat. A total of sixty•three fsh were sampled, and ffty•nine water samples were collected from the habitats of these fsh. Bacteria were cultured from the internal organs of fsh and water, and these were identifed through standard bacteriological methods comprising morphological characterization, Gram•staining, and a panel of biochemical tests. Te following bacterial pathogens with zoonotic potential were identifed at a farm prevalence of Aeromonas (13.2%), Bacillus (2.1%), Clostridium (2.1%), Escherichia coli (0.7%), Klebsiella (6.9%), Lactococcus (2.1%), Listeria (0.7%), Staphylococcus (18.1%), and Streptococcus (0.7). Other bacteria with varying sig• nifcance as fsh pathogens identifed included Acinetobacter (2.1%), Aequorivita (1.4%), Aerococcus (1.4%), Bordetella (2.1%), Carnobacterium (10.4%), Citrobacter (3.5%), Corynebacterium (1.4%), Dermatophilus (1.4%), Enterococcus (2.1%), Flavobacterium (4.2%), Micrococcus (6.9%), Planococcus (1.4%), Proteus (1.4%), Pseudomonas (6.3%), Rhodococcus (1.4%), Shewanella (1.4%), Streptococcus (0.7%), and Vagococcus (0.7%). Te current study provides baseline information for future reference and the implementation of public health guidelines with regard to potential zoonotic diseases in fsh. 1.Introduction Fish is the most afordable protein for many people in densely populated countries, including Zambia [1]. In• creased demand for fsh protein with escalating population growth has led to rapid growth in aquaculture farming in Zambia and in other countries worldwide [1–3]. Rapid aquaculture development in Zambia has created a potential danger of predisposing fsh consumers and workers on fsh farms and those in fsh processing plants to fsh zoonotic disease outbreaks (FZDOs). Worldwide, about 3 billion people derive almost 20 percent of their average per capita intake of animal protein from fsh [4]. Fish nutrition is an important source of energy and protein and provides a range of essential nutrients and vitamins to many households worldwide. Te possibility of the emergence of risk factors for FZDOs through handling or ingestion of fsh and fsh products is ever•increasing [5]. Tere is a well•documented group of pathogens indigenous to the aquatic environments which have been associated with FZDOs. Tese pathogens have been isolated from open wounds in highly exposed fshermen and fsh handlers [6]. Te principal zoonotic fsh pathogens of concern are Aeromonas hydrophila, Edward• siella tarda, Mycobacterium marinum, Streptococcus iniae, Vibrio vulnifcus, and Vibrio damsel [7]. Mycobacterium species, Streptococcus iniae, Clostridium botulinum, and Vibrio vulnifcus are of particular zoonotic importance and concern [8]. Intensive and confned fsh rearing in aqua• culture predisposes fsh to a higher risk of bacterial load on their external surfaces, and contaminated fsh are therefore more likely to transmit the infection to humans [5]. Hindawi International Journal of Microbiology Volume 2023, Article ID 6650378, 9 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6650378