Study on the contamination by Paenibacillus larvae of honey from the south part of Belgium (Walloon Region) and relation with the clinical expression of American Foulbrood in honey bee colonies.

Abstract :

In the beekeeping sector, there are five reportable diseases in Belgium: Acariosis, American foulbrood, European foulbrood, Varroosis, Aethina tumida and Tropilaelaps sp. Paenibacillus larvae, the etiological agent of the American foulbrood is one of the most severe bacterium affecting the brood of the honey bee, but few data are available on the prevalence of this bacterial disease in Belgium. Aims of this study is to review the prevalence of this disease at the clinical stage in the south part of Belgium (Walloon region) and to evaluate the correlation between the high level of honey bee colony losses observed in Belgium since 1999 and the presence of P. larvae in honey. Fifty apiaries in the south part of Belgium (Walloon Region) were followed and the spores were detected and quantified in honey combining microscopic, classic bacteriological and molecular approaches. Twenty-six percent of the apiaries tested contained spores of Paenibacillus larvae. Nevertheless, only one apiary presented the disease at the clinical stage and no significant correlation has been highlighted between the presence of spores of Paenibacillus larvae in honey samples and the honey bee colony death rate.

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Contact person : BK.Nguyen@ulg.ac.be