Abstract
American foulbrood (AFB) is a serious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae which can cause honey bee colony death within one season. Determining the number of P. larvae spores present in honey bee colonies is useful for users for assessing and mitigating AFB risks and can be performed in various bee matrices, including hive debris. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method is a valuable tool for defining the P. larvae load in beehive matrices. We aimed to analyse hive debris from several Estonian apiaries, using qPCR methodology, and to find correlations between P. larvae spore number and characteristics of the sampling sites, such as apiary geographical location and dimensions, closeness to other apiaries, and number of apiaries and hives within a 7 km radius. Of the analysed samples, 52.5% were positive for P. larvae, and we observed high variability in spore loads. A positive correlation was found between P. larvae spore levels and the number of surrounding apiaries and apiary location. Applying P. larvae-targeted qPCR to hive debris could allow the estimation of AFB risk in areas with high apiary density.
Published Version
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