Atypical EFB in Alberta By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Bee Health Assurance Team In recent months, the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Bee Inspectors have seen a rise in European Foulbrood (EFB) cases. Testing performed by the National Bee Diagnostic Centre (NBDC) has shown that many of these cases are a new, more virulent and atypical...
By the Agriculture and Forestry Bee Health Assurance Team Background European foulbrood (Melissococcus plutonius) is a brood disease of honey bees, with near global distribution. In Alberta, European foulbrood (EFB) is listed as a bee disease under the Alberta Bee Regulation. Typically, symptoms of EFB ariseearly in the season, and spontaneously resolve with a strong...
Part 2 of AMERICAN FOULBROODÂ by Dr. Meghan Milbrath Diagnosis of AFB: Laboratory analysis AFB spores can be characterized through microscopic identification, culture, or molecular techniques. For more information on laboratory diagnosis of AFB, read Diagnosis of American Foulbrood in honey bees: a synthesis and proposed analytical protocols (https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/ download/28123/PDF), and the COLOSS standards for American...
The clustered and warm environment of the honey bee colony provides a favorable condition for growth of many pathogens. As a result, honey bees act as a host for a multitude of pathogens and parasites. Protecting bees from pathogens and disease is an integral component of the hive management, which requires dedication to learning about...