Survey of American foulbrood in honey bee colonies Apis mellifera intermissa in mid- northen region of Algeria (2010-2011)

Abstract

American foulbrood caused by Paenibacillus larvae is one of the most serious bacterial diseases of honey- bee brood. Few data are currently available on the prevalence of this disease in Algeria. This study pro- vides an overview of the prevalence of this disease in the Mid-North. Samples of adult bees were collected from 65 apiaries. Detection of spore samples was performed using methods bacteriological, microscopic and biochemical. Spores of Paenibacillus larvae were detected in 23.5 % of the apiaries examined in 2010 and 30 % in 2011. The prevalence of the wreck is different from one region to another. Many factors can possibly explain this difference in the prevalence of the disease.