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Biová J, Charrière JD, Dostálková S, Škrabišová M, Petřivalský M, Bzdil J, Danihlík J. Melissococcus plutonius Can Be Effectively and Economically Detected Using Hive Debris and Conventional PCR. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12020150. [PMID: 33572468 PMCID: PMC7916248 DOI: 10.3390/insects12020150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
European foulbrood (EFB) is an infectious disease of honey bees caused by the bacterium Melissococcus plutonius. A method for DNA isolation and conventional PCR diagnosis was developed using hive debris, which was non-invasively collected on paper sheets placed on the bottom boards of hives. Field trials utilized 23 honey bee colonies with clinically positive symptoms and 21 colonies without symptoms. Bayes statistics were applied to calculate the comparable parameters for EFB diagnostics when using honey, hive debris, or samples of adult bees. The reliability of the conventional PCR was 100% at 6.7 × 103 Colony Forming Unit of M. plutonius in 1 g of debris. The sensitivity of the method for the sampled honey, hive debris, and adult bees was 0.867, 0.714, and 1.000, respectively. The specificity for the tested matrices was 0.842, 0.800, and 0.833. The predictive values for the positive tests from selected populations with 52% prevalence were 0.813, 0.833, and 0.842, and the real accuracies were 0.853, 0.750, and 0.912, for the honey, hive debris, and adult bees, respectively. It was concluded that hive debris can effectively be utilized to non-invasively monitor EFB in honey bee colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Biová
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (J.B.); (S.D.); (M.Š.); (M.P.)
| | - Jean-Daniel Charrière
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Schwarzenburgstraße 161, 3003 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Silvie Dostálková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (J.B.); (S.D.); (M.Š.); (M.P.)
| | - Mária Škrabišová
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (J.B.); (S.D.); (M.Š.); (M.P.)
| | - Marek Petřivalský
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (J.B.); (S.D.); (M.Š.); (M.P.)
| | - Jaroslav Bzdil
- State Veterinary Institute, Jakoubka ze Stříbra 1, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic;
| | - Jiří Danihlík
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (J.B.); (S.D.); (M.Š.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +42-05-8563-4928
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Ribani A, Utzeri VJ, Taurisano V, Fontanesi L. Honey as a Source of Environmental DNA for the Detection and Monitoring of Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites. Vet Sci 2020; 7:vetsci7030113. [PMID: 32824137 PMCID: PMC7558659 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7030113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) has been proposed as a powerful tool to detect and monitor cryptic, elusive, or invasive organisms. We recently demonstrated that honey constitutes an easily accessible source of eDNA. In this study, we extracted DNA from 102 honey samples (74 from Italy and 28 from 17 other countries of all continents) and tested the presence of DNA of nine honey bee pathogens and parasites (Paenibacillus larvae, Melissococcus plutonius, Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, Ascosphaera apis,Lotmaria passim, Acarapis woodi, Varroa destructor, and Tropilaelaps spp.) using qualitative PCR assays. All honey samples contained DNA from V. destructor, confirming the widespread diffusion of this mite. None of the samples gave positive amplifications for N. apis, A. woodi, and Tropilaelaps spp. M. plutonius was detected in 87% of the samples, whereas the other pathogens were detected in 43% to 57% of all samples. The frequency of Italian samples positive for P. larvae was significantly lower (49%) than in all other countries (79%). The co-occurrence of positive samples for L. passim and A. apis with N. ceranae was significant. This study demonstrated that honey eDNA can be useful to establish monitoring tools to evaluate the sanitary status of honey bee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisa Ribani
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (A.R.); (V.J.U.); (V.T.)
- GRIFFA s.r.l., Viale Giuseppe Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valerio Joe Utzeri
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (A.R.); (V.J.U.); (V.T.)
- GRIFFA s.r.l., Viale Giuseppe Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valeria Taurisano
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (A.R.); (V.J.U.); (V.T.)
| | - Luca Fontanesi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Giuseppe Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (A.R.); (V.J.U.); (V.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-051-2096535
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More S, Bøtner A, Butterworth A, Calistri P, Depner K, Edwards S, Garin-Bastuji B, Good M, Gortázar Schmidt C, Michel V, Miranda MA, Nielsen SS, Raj M, Sihvonen L, Spoolder H, Stegeman JA, Thulke HH, Velarde A, Willeberg P, Winckler C, Baldinelli F, Broglia A, Candiani D, Verdonck F, Beltrán-Beck B, Kohnle L, Bicout D. Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): infestation with Varroa spp. (varroosis). EFSA J 2017; 15:e04997. [PMID: 32625294 PMCID: PMC7009930 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infestation with Varroa spp. (varroosis) has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of varroosis to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of varroosis according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to varroosis. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. According to the assessment performed, it is inconclusive whether varroosis can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention as laid down in Article 5(3) of the AHL because there was no full consensus on the criterion 5 A(v). Consequently, the assessment on compliance of varroosis with the criteria as in Annex IV to the AHL, for the application of the disease prevention and control rules referred to in Article 9(1), and which animal species can be considered to be listed for varroosis according to Article 8(3) are also inconclusive.
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Brady TS, Merrill BD, Hilton JA, Payne AM, Stephenson MB, Hope S. Bacteriophages as an alternative to conventional antibiotic use for the prevention or treatment of Paenibacillus larvae in honeybee hives. J Invertebr Pathol 2017; 150:94-100. [PMID: 28917651 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
American Foulbrood (AFB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria, Paenibacillus larvae. P. larvae phages were isolated and tested to determine each phages' host range amongst 59 field isolate strains of P. larvae. Three phages were selected to create a phage cocktail for the treatment of AFB infections according to the combined phages' ability to lyse all tested strains of bacteria. Studies were performed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the phage cocktail treatment as a replacement for traditional antibiotics for the prevention of AFB and the treatment of active infections. Safety verification studies confirmed that the phage cocktail did not adversely affect the rate of bee death even when administered as an overdose. In a comparative study of healthy hives, traditional prophylactic antibiotic treatment experienced a 38±0.7% decrease in overall hive health, which was statistically lower than hive health observed in control hives. Hives treated with phage cocktail decreased 19±0.8%, which was not statistically different than control hives, which decreased by 10±1.0%. In a study of beehives at-risk for a natural infection, 100±0.5% of phage-treated hives were protected from AFB infection, while 80±0.5% of untreated controls became infected. AFB infected hives began with an average Hitchcock score of 2.25 out of 4 and 100±0.5% of the hives recovered completely within two weeks of treatment with phage cocktail. While the n numbers for the latter two studies are small, the results for both the phage protection rate and the phage cure rate were statistically significant (α=0.05). These studies demonstrate the powerful potential of using a phage cocktail against AFB and establish phage therapy as a feasible treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Scott Brady
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Bryan D Merrill
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Jared A Hilton
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Ashley M Payne
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Michael B Stephenson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Sandra Hope
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
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