Molecular epidemiology of American foulbrood disease in bee colonies in eight provinces of Iran

Document Type : Full Research Paper

Authors

1 Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension, Karaj. Iran

2 Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension. Karaj.Iran

3 Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension. Karaj. Iran

4 Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension. Karaj . Iran

5 Iran Veterinary Organization

Abstract

American foulbrood disease is the most serious and deadly bacterial disease of bee infants and is caused by the gram-positive bacterium that produces Paenibacillus larvae spores. In this regard, accurate and timely diagnosis of this disease is very important. In the present study, the molecular epidemiology of this disease was studied regionally in eight provinces of the country. Frothy eight samples of bees, honey and debris were collected. After preparation, the samples were tested by nested PCR method and the PCR product was electrophoresed on 1% agarose gel. The results show out of 48 samples of bees examined, number of 14 were positive (29.16%), out of 48 samples of honey were examined, number of 16 were positive (33.33%) and out of 48 samples of debries, number of 5 were positive (10.41%). The results of this study show that for epidemiological and monitoring studies of Paenibacillus larvae infection in bee colonies, collecting honey samples is a more reliable method than other samples. Today in the world, this method is used for continuous monitoring of this disease and according to the results, the strategy of control, prevention and treatment are formulated and implemented. Also, diagnosis of the disease using honey samples and in the next priority of adult bees, has a higher prognostic value compared to the identification of bacteria in the samples of wax, pollen and debris.

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