Apidologie 38 (2007) 281-288
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2007009

Infection of drone larvae (Apis mellifera) with American foulbrood

Dieter Behrens^a, Eva Forsgren^b, Ingemar Fries^b and Robin F.A. Moritz<sup>a

a</sup>  Institut für Zoologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 4, 06099 Halle, Germany
^b  Department of Entomology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

(Received 28 August 2006 - Revised 12 October 2006 - Accepted 23 October 2006 - Published online 10 March 2007)

Abstract - In-vitro reared drone larvae of several sister queens from an Apis mellifera ligustica and a Buckfast breeding line were infected with Paenibacillus larvae (type strain ATCC 9545) causing American foulbrood (AFB). Although drone larvae were susceptible to AFB and could be infected under in-vitro conditions there were differences within and between lineages. Infection sensitivity was higher in the A. m. ligustica line compared to the Buckfast line. Different infection thresholds were found among sister queens of the A. m. ligustica line suggesting a considerable genetic variance for larval resistance against AFB.

Key words: Paenibacillus larvae / disease resistance / in-vitro rearing / mortality

Corresponding author: dieter.behrens@zoologie.uni-halle.de

© INRA, DIB-AGIB, EDP Sciences 2007