Here's one use of "pro-biotics" that any beekeeper can both grock and
support.
"...larvae of four ages were exposed through feeding to spores of a natural
pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae larvae, to cells of a diverse set of related
nonpathogenic bacteria, and to bacterial coat components. These larvae were
then assayed for RNA levels of genes encoding two antibacterial peptides,
abaecin and defensin. Larvae exposed to either P. l. larvae or a mix of
nonpathogenic bacteria showed high RNA levels for the abaecin gene relative
to controls. First instars responded significantly to the presence of the
nonpathogenic mix within 12 h after exposure, a time when they remain highly
susceptible to bacterial invasion. This response was sustained for two
successive instars, eventually becoming 21-fold higher in larvae exposed to
probiotic spores versus control larvae. The mixture of nonpathogenic
bacteria is therefore presented as a potential surrogate for assaying the
immune responses of different honey bee lineages. It also is proposed that
nonpathogenic bacteria can be used as a probiotic to enhance honey bee
immunity, helping bee larvae, and other life stages, survive attacks from
pathogens in the field."
Bacterial Probiotics Induce an Immune Response in the Honey Bee
(Hymenoptera: Apidae)
Jay D. Evans, Dawn L. Lopez
JEE
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jee/97.3.752
pgs 752-756 1 June 2004
http://jee.oxfordjournals.org/content/97/3/752.long
http://tinyurl.com/zs57x8j
http://bee-quick.com/reprints/evans2004.pdf
(Full text, as the abstract is an incomplete summary)
BUT - think for a moment - if something induces an immune response, does
that make it a good thing for the gestalt health of the larvae, or not?
While it is a good thing to protect the larvae from AFB infection, any of
God's creatures undergoing an "immune response" is going to experience some
serious "stress".
So would something like this used in the regular course of raising an
otherwise healthy hive be a good thing, or a bad thing for larvae not
threatened by infection?
I am torn, and there don't seem to be metrics on anything less than simple
"survival" of larvae.
And if anyone wants to follow Don Coats' suggestion and weigh hives during
participating in any such trial(s), send me an email, and I'll support the
effort with Nectar Detectors at cost to any/all participants, so they can
weigh all their hives.
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