The possible role of Varroa destructor in the spreading of American foulbrood among apiaries.
The aim of this investigation was to establish whether Varroa destructor can play a role in the transmission of Paenibacillus larvae larvae spores from infected to healthy bee colonies. Mites, collected from an Apis mellifera carnica colony heavily infected with American foulbrood and treated with Apistan, were suspended in distilled water and treated in three different ways:homogenizing, shaking and stirring, or sonication. The resulting fluid samples were transferred onto selective agar medium. All culture plates showed colonies that could be identified as P.l. larvae. In view of the numbers of spores they can carry, it is concluded that mites may transmit American foulbrood from infected to healthy bee colonies.
De Rycke
Paul H
PH
Laboratorium voor Zoöfysiologie, Universiteit Gent, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. Paul.DeRycke@rug.ac.be
Joubert
Johan J
JJ
Hosseinian
S Hossein
SH
Jacobs
Frans J
FJ
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001407:Bacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary*; D001516:Bees / Q000382:microbiology*; D008925:Mites / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013010:Sonication; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification