Foulbroods

Question 1

Which type of foulbrood has sunken cappings, often nibbled by bees to clear the larvae out?

Answer 1

American foulbrood

Question 2

What colour is the gut of a larvae infected with EFB?

Answer 2

Creamy white - due to the mass of bacteria living inside it.

Question 3

What is the causative organism for EFB

Answer 3

Melissococcus plutonius

Question 4

What is the causative organism of AFB?

Answer 4

Paenibacillus larvae

Question 5

What happens to the spores of AFB when they enter the gut?

Answer 5

They will germinate into rod shaped cells and penetrate the gut wall. These then break down the tissue and multiply in the haemolymph.

Question 6

How long can AFB spores survive for on equipment?

Answer 6

50 years. They are resistant to many forms of disinfectant and extremes of heat and cold.

Question 7

What happens to EFB when it is ingested?

Answer 7

It remains inside the gut, acting like a parasite, and consumes food eaten by the larvae. The bacteria will contine to multiply.

Question 8

How is EFB passed on?

Answer 8

If the larvae ends up surviving, when it metamorphosis into a pupae, its gut will connect to the excretory system and lead it to voiding the contents of its guts. Or if it dies it will be infectious. Workers clean this up and are infected.

Question 9

How do you use a lateral flow test for foulbrood?

Answer 9

1) Extract a larvae from a cell
2) Place in the bottle with the buffer and shake for 20 seconds
3) Remove the test larvae and use the pipette to place sample liquid onto the device
4) Two lines is a positive, one line (control) is a negative

Question 10

How long are AFB spores viable for?

Answer 10

In honey and on equipment for 50 years

Question 11

What secondary invaders can multiply in the dead larvae from EFB

Answer 11

Paenibacillus albei
Enterococcus faecalis
Lactobaciullus eurydice

Question 12

What happens during pupation if a larvae is infected with EFB

Answer 12

It will defecate as the stomach connects with the excretory system so it means more bacteria in the cell

Question 13

Outline the life cycle of EFB?

Answer 13

1) Nurse bees feed brood
2) Bacteria multiplies in ventriculus
3) Poor nutrition leads to larvae dying OR larvae pupates and voids guts
4) Cleaner bee cleans up and becomes infected
5) Cleaner bee develops into a nurse bee

Question 14

Outline the life cycle of AFB?

Answer 14

1) Nurse bee feeds larvae with spores
2) Spores germinate in the ventriculus
3) Vegetative form moves into the haemolymph
4) Bacteria multiplies and kills larvae
5) Produce spores
6) Dries to scale
7) Cleaned up by a cleaner bee who develops into nurse bee

Question 15

What ways can foulbrood be spread?

Answer 15

Drifting, swarming and robbing. Beekeeper transmitted by moving kit, uniting diseased colonies, using infected kit or feeding honey with spores in.

Question 16

How is EFB treated

Answer 16

Weak colonies are destroyed.

Strong colonies can be dealt with via a shook swarm to remove a large reservoir of infection. Whole apiary shook swarm is advices.

Oxytetracycline can be given

Question 17

How is AFB treated?

Answer 17

Infected colonies are killed and then combs and bees are placed in a pit to burn. Hives and equipment can then be sterilised.

Question 18

What do you do if you suspect foulbrood?

Answer 18

It is notifiable so contact the bee inspector.

Close the hive up and reduce entrance to prevent robbing.

Put your apiary under self-imposed standstill.

You can remove honey if the bee inspector gives you a movement licence

Question 19

After how many days is it harder for larvae to be infected with AFB spores?

Answer 19

After 2 days the peritrophic membrane forms so it means the rod shaped vegetative cells cannot penetrate. Before 2 days the larvae only needs 10 spores to infect it