The Honeybee Disease American Foulbrood — An African Perspective

Abstract

Sustaining apiculture worldwide has been threatened by bee diseases and unexplained colony losses. African honeybee populations seem healthier and no major losses have been reported despite the presence of all the major pests and diseases. The scattered colonies in the large wild population of the continent might ensure slow pathogen spread and thus protect the unmanaged colonies in comparison with the concentration of colonies in managed apiaries. Beekeeping and trade in bee products is responsible for spreading many diseases throughout the world. The recent outbreak of the bacterial disease American foulbrood (AFB) in South Africa is a matter of great concern. Despite a growing number of apiaries testing positive for AFB, no major colony losses have been reported yet. This could be based on higher disease resistance of African honeybees, but such a trait might not persist if pathogens accumulate in the hives. In the first part of this article we review what is known on the history, biology and epidemiology of AFB as well as the control methods available. We then argue that given the particular context of honeybees in Africa, protection policies need to be put in place to ensure that African honeybees remain healthy.

Seasonal prevalence of pathogens and parasites in the savannah honeybee (Apis mellifera scutellata)

“…In this study one honeybee sample tested positive for EFB, but this could not be confirmed with sequencing and consequently was not included as a positive result. AFB, which was only recently found in the Western Cape region of South Africa (Baxter, 2009;Human et al, 2011;OIE Report, 2009),was not detected in the apiaries sampled in this study. The non-detection of AFB in the samples does confirm, at least for the apiaries screened in this study, that this bacterial disease is still absent from some areas in the Gauteng region.…”

“…In contrast to many counties around the world, South Africa has not yet experienced the devastating effects of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor and honeybee pathogens (Allsopp, 2006;Neumann and Carreck, 2010), despite average losses of between 20% and 29% in the years . This might be due to a lack of continuous surveys investigating pathogen presence (Allen and Ball, 1996;Allsopp, 2006;Buys, 1982;Davison et al, 1999;Ellis and Munn, 2005;Hepburn and Radloff, 1998) or as a result of honeybees that are able to withstand the negative effects of these pathogens , Human et al, 2011.…”

Discovery of Lake Sinai virus and an unusual strain of acute bee paralysis virus in West African apiaries

“…Indeed, although both diseases have a broad distribution, they are under-represented in SubSaharan Africa, especially in the western part. Clinical outbreaks of American foulbrood occur in South Africa (Human et al 2011), but the limited information from the western part of the continent only discusses contaminated honey samples (Brødsgaard and Hansen 2003). Human and colleagues (Human et al 2011) state that the absence of clinical AFB cases in Sub-Saharan Africa can at least partially be explained by the fact that African honey bees, Apis mellifera scutellata , abscond more frequently from their hive when disturbed.…”

“…Clinical outbreaks of American foulbrood occur in South Africa (Human et al 2011), but the limited information from the western part of the continent only discusses contaminated honey samples (Brødsgaard and Hansen 2003). Human and colleagues (Human et al 2011) state that the absence of clinical AFB cases in Sub-Saharan Africa can at least partially be explained by the fact that African honey bees, Apis mellifera scutellata , abscond more frequently from their hive when disturbed. Moreover, according to Sanford (2003), weak colonies and absconded hives are rapidly invaded by SHB and wax moth, which totally destroy the broods and combs, and thus stop further spread of the foulbrood diseases.…”

Honeybee health in Africa—a review

“…American foulbrood (AFB) is widely distributed in many African countries, except the central region (Ellis and Munn 2005;Human et al 2011;Mumoki et al 2014). AFB, caused by Paenibacillus larvae , affects the larval stage (mostly after capping) and can be transmitted by adult honeybees within and between colonies (Lindström et al 2008).…”