Apidologie (2001) 32, 363-370

Wim Dobbelaere, Dirk C. de Graaf and Johan E. Peeters (2001)
Development of a fast and reliable diagnostic method for American foulbrood disease (Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae) using a 16S rRNA gene based PCR
Apidologie 32 (4), 363-370
Abstract: Paenibacillus larvae larvae is the causative agent of American foulbrood (AFB), a serious honeybee disease. The ability to detect and identify this organism promptly is important to allow effective sanitary measures in case of AFB. P. larvae larvae is a fastidious and slow-growing bacterium and primary isolation and presumptive identification can be difficult and time-consuming. In this study the use of PCR is described for a rapid and reliable diagnosis. The developed PCR assay is specific for P. larvae as no amplicons were produced from 13 related or hive-related species. Only with P. larvae larvae and P. larvae pulvifaciens DNA as template, an amplicon was formed. A positive reaction was also observed when DNA was extracted directly from remains of an AFB diseased larva. Thus this PCR assay provides a reliable diagnosis for AFB in only 4 hours.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Paenibacillus larvae