Virulence of bacteria isolates in Mesopotamian Himri, Carasobarbus luteus, from the Al-Diwaniya River, Iraq

About 100 C. luteus were examined to determine the extent of the presence of disease-causing bacteria in the Diwaniyah River from April 2021 to March 2022. The bacteria were isolated using the VITEK2 system, and vital tests identified the species Aeromonas hydrophila and Sphingobacterium thalpophilum. Aeromonas hydrophila and S. thalpophilum were tested in vitro, revealing noticeable antibiotic susceptibility. Levofloxacin (?0.22 ?g/ml for A. hydrophila and ?0.20 ?g/ml for S. thalpophilum), as well as Ciprofloxacin (?0.10 ?g/ml) and Imipenem (?0.23 ?g/ml), demonstrated notable effectiveness. Resistance to Cefazolin was observed in A. hydrophila (?69 ?g/ml) and S. thalpophilum (?70 ?g/ml). The study highlights the presence of harmful bacteria in C. luteus from the river, specifically A. hydrophila and S. thalpophilum. The findings emphasize the critical importance of prudent antibiotic use and ongoing monitoring in aquaculture practices to mitigate risks and safeguard public health.