Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Airborne Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki during an Aerial Spray Program for Gypsy Moth Eradication

Teschke, Kay; Chow, Yat; Bartlett, Karen H.; Ross, Andrew; Netten, Chris van

doi:10.2307/3434920

Cited by 19 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The distribution of air sampling locations is shown in Fig. 1 (28). These data suggest considerable drift of B. thuringiensis subsp.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…These data suggest considerable drift of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1 spores from the Foray 48B spray out of the designated spray zone (28).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…kurstakicontaining aerosols, air samples were taken using a size-selective, six-stage cascade impactor mounted with Trypticase soy agar plates (Andersen plates). The Andersen sampler separates the indicated size ranges of aerosol in the following stages: stage 1, Ͼ7 m; stage 2, 4.7 to 7 m; stage 3, 3.3 to 4.7 m; stage 4, 2.1 to 3.3 m; stage 5, 1.1 to 2.1 m; and stage 6, 0.65 to 1.1 m. Air was drawn at a rate of 28.3 liters/min with a high-volume pump maintained by an orifice placed after the sixth stage of the Andersen plates (28).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two hundred fifty-six bulk air samples were taken during the aerial application of Foray 48B. These samples were taken by pulling air through 0.5-m-pore-size Teflon filters mounted in 37-mm-diameter close-face cassettes, using constant-flow, battery-powered battery pumps (28). The pumps were calibrated to a flow of 2 liters/min Ϯ 5% before and after sampling using a rotameter (Matheson).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identification of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Strain HD1-Like Bacteria from Environmental and Human Samples after Aerial Spraying of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with Foray 48B

Amorim

Whittome

Shore

et al. 2001

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Aerial applications of Foray 48B, which contains Bacillus thuringiensis strain HD1, were carried out on 9 to 10 May, 19 to 21 May, and 8 to 9 June 1999 to control European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) populations in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. A major assessment of the health impact of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki was conducted by the Office of the Medical Health Officer of the Capital Health Region during this period. Environmental (air and water) and human (nasal swab) samples, collected before and after aerial applications of Foray 48B, both in the spray zone and outside of the spray zone, were analyzed for the presence of strain HD1-like bacteria. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis, cry gene-specific PCR, and dot blot DNA hybridization techniques were used to screen over 11,000 isolates of bacteria. We identified bacteria with genetic patterns consistent with those of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1 in 9,102 of 10,659 (85.4%) isolates obtained from the air samples, 13 of 440 (2.9%) isolates obtained from the water samples, and 131 of 171 (76.6%) isolates from the nasal swab samples. These analyses suggest that B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1-like bacteria were present both in the environment and in the human population of Victoria prior to aerial applications of Foray 48B. The presence of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1-like bacteria in human nasal passages increased significantly after the application of Foray 48B, both inside and outside the spray zone.In February 1999, the government of the province of British Columbia, Canada, authorized an aerial spray program to control insurgent populations of the European gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, found in and around the cities of Victoria, Duncan, and Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. The provincial government felt that the presence of gypsy moth populations posed a serious economic threat to exports of British Columbian lumber products to other provinces of Canada, as well as to neighboring states of the United States. Both a potential embargo of British Columbian lumber products and a significant environmental threat would exist if the insurgent gypsy moth populations were to become established. The biological insecticide Foray 48B, which contains spores of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, was applied to more than 13,400 ha on Vancouver Island, of which 12,204 ha were in the greater Victoria region (Fig. 1).B. thuringiensis is a spore-forming, gram-positive bacterium that produces intracellular, crystal proteins during sporulation. These parasporal proteins have insecticidal activity that are specific to certain groups of insects (27). The genus Bacillus has been divided into five groups (4). Group I contains a large number of soil-dwelling species, including B. thuringiensis, Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus anthracis, and Bacillus cereus. Some of these bacilli are very closely related and form separate groups within the group I Bacillus species. The B. cereus group consists of B. cereus, B. anthracis...

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“…The distribution of air sampling locations is shown in Fig. 1 (28). These data suggest considerable drift of B. thuringiensis subsp.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…These data suggest considerable drift of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1 spores from the Foray 48B spray out of the designated spray zone (28).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identification of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Strain HD1-Like Bacteria from Environmental and Human Samples after Aerial Spraying of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with Foray 48B

Amorim

Whittome

Shore

et al. 2001

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki is not typically harmful to mammals; but its toxin, when ingested, is lethal to the Lymantria dispar caterpillar (19,22,28).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Persistence of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki in Urban Environments following Spraying

Cuyk

Deshpande

Hollander

et al. 2011

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki is applied extensively in North America to control the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar. Since B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki shares many physical and biological properties with Bacillus anthracis, it is a reasonable surrogate for biodefense studies. A key question in biodefense is how long a biothreat agent will persist in the environment. There is some information in the literature on the persistence of Bacillus anthracis in laboratories and historical testing areas and for Bacillus thuringiensis in agricultural settings, but there is no information on the persistence of Bacillus spp. in the type of environment that would be encountered in a city or on a military installation. Since it is not feasible to release B. anthracis in a developed area, the controlled release of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki for pest control was used to gain insight into the potential persistence of Bacillus spp. in outdoor urban environments. Persistence was evaluated in two locations: Fairfax County, VA, and Seattle, WA. Environmental samples were collected from multiple matrices and evaluated for the presence of viable B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki at times ranging from less than 1 day to 4 years after spraying. Real-time PCR and culture were used for analysis. B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki was found to persist in urban environments for at least 4 years. It was most frequently detected in soils and less frequently detected in wipes, grass, foliage, and water. The collective results indicate that certain species of Bacillus may persist for years following their dispersal in urban environments.

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A Primer on the Extraordinary Efficacy and Safety of Bacterial Insecticides Based onBacillus Thuringiensis

Federici¹

2022

Good Microbes in Medicine, Food Production, Biotechnology, Bioremediation, and Agriculture

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Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Airborne Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki during an Aerial Spray Program for Gypsy Moth Eradication

Cited by 19 publications

References 6 publications

Identification of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Strain HD1-Like Bacteria from Environmental and Human Samples after Aerial Spraying of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with Foray 48B

Identification of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki Strain HD1-Like Bacteria from Environmental and Human Samples after Aerial Spraying of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with Foray 48B

Persistence of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki in Urban Environments following Spraying

A Primer on the Extraordinary Efficacy and Safety of Bacterial Insecticides Based onBacillus Thuringiensis

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