The investigation by PCRand culture methods of foulbrood diseases in honey bees in South Marmara Region

Abstract

American Foulbrood and European Foulbrood diseases of honeybees were examined in 725 beehives from 23 apiaries located in the South Marmara Region of Turkey. We determined that 19 apiaries were infected and the suspected clinical signs of foulbrood diseases were investigated in 102 beehives by PCR and cultural method. Broods and combs from colonies with suspected clinical symptoms of foulbrood diseases were collected and cultured for bacteriological examination. All of the specimens contaminated with bacteriae and 37 species of bacteriae were isolated such as Stapylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Corynebacterium jeikum, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Bacillus spp. All of these bacteria are related to human, animal and environmental origins. In this study, Paenibacillus larvae by PCR amplifying the 973-bp region PL1 and PL2 with 1f, Melissococcus plutonius amplifying the 973-bp region EFB-F and EFB-R gene were amplified. American Foulbrood causative agent Paenibacillus larvae and European Foulbrood causative agent Melissococcus plutonius were not detected in any sample examined by PCR and cultural methods. On the other hand, Paenibacillus alvei that is a seconder agent to European Foulbrood was found in two samples by cultural methods. In conclusion, the results showed that P. larvae and M. plutonius are not present in South Marmara Region. In this study, human, animal and environment originated agents were isolated.

Güney Marmara Bölgesinde 23 arılıktan 725 kovan Amerikan Yavru Çürüklüğü (AYÇ) ve Avrupa Yavru Çürüklüğü (AvYÇ) hastalığı açısından incelendi. 19 arılıktan AYÇ ve AvYÇ şüpheli ya da infekte 102 kovan PCR ve kültürel metodlar ile incelendi. Klinik olarak yavru çürüklüğü şüpheli kovanlardan petek ve larva örnekleri alınarak bakteriyolojik kültür için kullanıldı. Bütün örnekler 37 tür bakteri izole ve identifiye edildi. Bunlar, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Corynebacterium jeikum, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Bacillus spp. gibi insan çevre ve hayvan orjinli etkenlerdi. Bu çalışmada, Paenibacillus larvae 973 bp.’lik PL1 ve PL2, Melissococcus plutonius’un 973 bp.’lik EFB-F ve EFB-R gen bölgeleri PCR ile amplifiye edildi. Hiçbir numunede Paenibacillus larvae ve Melissococcus plutonius üremesi olmadı. AvYÇ’nin sekonder etkeni Paenibacillus alvei kültürel yöntemle iki örnekte izole edildi. Bu çalışmada, Güney Marmara Bölgesinde P. larvae ve M. plutonius varlığı saptanmadı. Çalışmada yavru çürüklüğü şüpheli kovanlardan insan, çevre ve hayvan orjinli etkenler izole edildi.