American Foulbrood (AFB) has been found in a single beehive near Bridge of Earn, Perthshire. The first finding of the disease in Scotland this year was confirmed by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA) on 24 May.
Beekeepers within three kilometres of the affected colony will be notified via BeeBase (Animal and Plant Health Agency’s national bee unit website) and encouraged to increase their biosecurity.
AFB is a notifiable disease of honey bees for which there is no permitted treatment in the UK. It is caused by a spore-forming bacterium called Paenibacillus larvae. The spores allow bacterium to survive in the absence of a host and are highly resistant to extremes of temperature, chemical attack and other adverse conditions that kill most bacteria.
The spores are accidentally fed to larva by nurse bees in the form of contaminated brood food. Once the cell has been sealed, the bacteria kill the larva by consuming the body tissues.
Signs of the disease include:
- Uneven 'pepper-pot' brood pattern
- Darkened, sunken, greasy cell cappings
- Performated cell cappings
- Sticky larval remains which can be drawn out with a matchstick('ropiness test’)
- Hard, dark scales which are difficult to remove from cells
Chief veterinary officer for Scotland Sheila Voas said: “The finding of AFB is a timely reminder that beekeepers should remain vigilant for signs of the disease at all times. There are no risks to public health and no implications for the quality and safety of Scottish honey.
“The movement of bees and related equipment into, or out of, the affected apiary will be under specific controls supervised by Scottish Government Bee Inspectors and will include enhanced biosecurity measures and increased vigilance in the area.”
Beekeepers are advised to know the symptoms of AFB and any suspected cases should be reported to the Scottish Government Bee Health Team. They are also encouraged to register for BeeBase so that they can be made aware of any disease outbreaks in their area.
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