> > My kit was in date (expiry December 2009). Of course it is essential that > the larva is an infected one. This one was from under a capping, had > collapsed and > had the EFB smell. > Trevor : Does the kit detect Bacillus alvei or only Melissococcus pluton? http://www.oie.int/Eng/normes/mmanual/2008/pdf/2.02.03_EUROPEAN_FOULB.pdf A number of other bacteria are often associated with and may be confused with M. plutonius. Bacterium eurydice inhabits the alimentary tract of adult bees and occurs commonly in the gut of healthy larvae in small numbers. It is more numerous in larvae infected with M. plutonius. The incidence of B. eurydice in healthy bees is very low in winter and early spring, but it increases in summer. It forms thin square-ended rods, which can grow either singly or in chains. When grown in certain media, it sometimes resembles streptococci and has been confused with M. plutonius. However, its cultural characteristics closely resemble those of Corynebacterium pyogenes (10), and it multiplies poorly in the form of thin rods, under the conditions necessary for the cultivation of M. plutonius. Enterococcus (= Streptococcus) faecalis closely resembles M. plutonius morphologically and has often been confused with it, although they are both culturally and serologically distinct. Unlike M. plutonius, it does not remain viable for long when dried, or persist as mechanical contamination within bee colonies. It is probably brought into the hive by foraging adult bees, and is responsible for the sour smell sometimes encountered with European foulbrood. Enterococcus faecalis grows well in vitro under the conditions suitable for M. plutonius, but it may be readily differentiated by its ability to grow aerobically. It forms small transparent colonies within 24 hours and is a facultative anaerobe. It multiplies on a variety of the more common media with or without carbohydrates or CO2. The final pH in the presence of glucose is 4.0. Enterococcus faecalis rarely exceeds the number of M. plutonius in bee larvae, and can usually be diluted out. When it is not diluted out it produces sufficient acid to prevent the in-vitro multiplication of M. plutonius. Enterococcus faecalis does not multiply in bee larvae in the absence of M. plutonius, so its presence in large numbers can be taken as presumptive evidence of European foulbrood. Paenibacillus (= Bacillus) alvei is generally more common than E. faecalis in bee colonies affected with European foulbrood, but it is not invariably associated with the disease and so cannot act as a reliable indicator of it. In bee colonies, it multiplies only in the decomposing remains of larvae, and then its spores often predominate over all other bacteria, even to their apparent exclusion. Paenibacillus alvei forms very resistant spores and becomes well established in bee colonies with enzootic European foulbrood. It causes a characteristic stale odour. Paenibacillus alvei multiplies poorly under the conditions necessary for the in-vitro growth of M. plutonius. It produces a spreading growth of transparent colonies, some of which are motile and move in arcs over the surface of the agar. Cultures have the characteristic stale odour that is associated with European foulbrood when the bacillus is present. Spores are formed rapidly. -- Juanse Barros J. APIZUR S.A. Carrera 695 Gorbea - CHILE +56-45-271693 08-3613310 http://apiaraucania.blogspot.com/ [log in to unmask] *********************************************** The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html