Hatching success and survival of fish early life stages in a chronic exposure to nevirapine: a case study of the Mozambique tilapia

ABSTRACT

The anti-retroviral nevirapine has been detected in surface waters throughout South Africa and its effects on non-target aquatic animals are still unknown. The aim was to investigate the potential effects of nevirapine on the hatching success and survival of Oreochromis mossambicus early life stages through a chronic exposure. The exposer started with newly fertilized O. mossambicus eggs and concluded 30 days after hatching. Environmental relevant concentration of nevirapine (1.48 µg/l) was used in a static renewal system and a controlled environment (27 ± 1°C; 14:10 day/night cycle). The main endpoints assessed included hatching success and survival; a morphological assessment was also done on whole individual on day 1 and 30 post-hatching to identify any physical abnormality. Nevirapine had no noticeable effects on the hatching success and survival of O. mossambicus larvae; no statistically significant differences were observed between the control and the nevirapine exposed fish (p > 0.05).

KEYWORDS:

• HIV antiretrovirals
• surface waters
• O. mossambicus
• larvae
• juveniles
• survival

Acknowledgments

This study was conducted at the University of Johannesburg Aquarium Facilities, South Africa; the authors thank the staff of the aquarium for their technical support.

Disclosure statement

No conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers [UID: 86056]), (DST Innovation Doctoral Scholarships [UID: 98719]); the University of Johannesburg Global Excellence and Stature Scholarships [Study Grant to Student no. 201242617]; the University of Venda [RPC project SMNS/17/ZOO/03].