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Published Date: 2013-05-25 23:18:47
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Varroosis, European foulbrood, bee - Peru: (LB) OIE
Archive Number: 20130525.1735912

VARROOSIS, EUROPEAN FOULBROOD, BEE - PERU: (LAMBAYEQUE), OIE
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In this update:
[1] Varroosis - Peru: (Lambayeque), OIE
[2] European foulbrood - Peru: (Lambayeque), OIE

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[1] Varroosis - Peru: (Lambayeque), OIE
Date: 21 May 2013
Source: OIE [edited]
http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=13478


Varroosis of honey bees, Peru
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Information received on 21 May 2013 from Dr Glen Frederick Halze Hodgson, Director General de Sanidad Animal, Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria (SENASA), Ministerio de Agricultura, Lima, Peru

Summary:
Report type: Immediate notification (Final report)
Date of start of the event: 1 May 2013
Date of pre-confirmation of the event: 21 May 2013
Report date: 21 May 2013
Date submitted to OIE: 21 May 2013
Date event resolved: 21 May 2013
Reason for notification: Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: February 2010
Manifestation of disease: Clinical disease
Causal agent: _Varroa destructor_
Nature of diagnosis: Clinical, Laboratory (basic)
This event pertains to the whole country.

New outbreaks (1):
Outbreak 1 (201303784): Lambayeque, Jayanca
Date of start of the outbreak: 1 May 2013
Outbreak status: Resolved (21 May 2013)
Epidemiological unit: Apiary
Affected animals:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Bees (hives) / 10 / / / /
Affected population: Positive hives in a beekeeping area following epidemiological characterization of the disease.

Summary of outbreaks: Total outbreaks: 1
Total animals affected:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Bees (hives) / 10 / ** / / /
Outbreak statistics:
Species / Apparent morbidity rate / Apparent mortality rate / Apparent case fatality rate / Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Bees (hives) / ** / ** / ** / **
*Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter.
**Not calculated because of missing information.

Epidemiology:
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
* Legal movement of animals

Epidemiological comments: The disease has been detected following active surveillance. After the epidemiological investigation, clinical cases have been observed. The SENASA will carry out a prevention and control programme.

Control measures:
Measures applied
* Zoning
* No vaccination
* No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied
* No other measures

Diagnostic test results:
Laboratory name and type / Species / Test / Test date / Result
SENASA's Animal Health Diagnostic Centre (National laboratory) / Bees / microscopic examination of larvae / 21 May 2013 / Positive

Future Reporting:
The event is resolved. No more reports will be submitted.

Map of outbreak locations. [See the OIE site for a map. Lambayeque is in the northwest corner of Peru, next to the Pacific. - Mod.MHJ]

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[Varroosis is a worldwide distributed bee disease, caused by the mite _Varroa destructor_ (formerly _Varroa jacobsoni_), a parasite of adult bees and their brood. It penetrates the intersegmental skin between the abdominal sclera of adult bees to ingest haemolymph. It can sometimes be found between the head and thorax. The number of parasites steadily increases with increasing brood activity and the growth of the bee population, especially late in the season when clinical signs of infestation can 1st be recognized. The life span of the mite depends on temperature and humidity, but, in practice, it can be said to last from some days to a few months.

Varroosis is reportable to the OIE; for its global distribution (2004), see http://www.oie.int/hs2/sit_mald_cont.asp?c_mald=134&c_cont=6.

For additional information, subscribers are referred to chapter 2.9.5., "Varroosis," in OIE's Manual for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals at http://oie.int/eng/normes/mmanual/A_00124.htm. [Copied from Mod.AS's comments in 20071104.3585]. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at:
http://healthmap.org/r/1z-z.]

******
[2] European foulbrood - Peru: (Lambayeque), OIE
Date: 21 May 2013
Source: OIE [edited]
http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=13476


European foulbrood of honey bees, Peru
--------------------------------------
Information received on 21 May 2013 from Dr Glen Frederick Halze Hodgson, Director General de Sanidad Animal, Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria (SENASA), Ministerio de Agricultura, Lima, Peru

Summary:
Report type: Immediate notification (Final report)
Date of start of the event: 1 May 2013
Date of pre-confirmation of the event: 21 May 2013
Report date: 21 May 2013
Date submitted to OIE: 21 May 2013
Date event resolved: 21 May 2013
Reason for notification: Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: March 2010
Manifestation of disease: Sub-clinical infection
Causal agent: _Paenibacillus larvae_
Nature of diagnosis: Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to the whole country.

New outbreaks (1):
Outbreak 1 (201300811): Lambayeque, Jayanca
Date of start of the outbreak: 1 May 2013
Outbreak status: Resolved (21 May 2013)
Epidemiological unit: Apiary
Affected animals:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Bees (hives) / 10 / / / /
Affected population / Hives that tested positive for European foulbrood in culture and PCR.

Summary of outbreaks; Total outbreaks: 1
Total animals affected:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Bees (hives) / 10 / ** / / /
Outbreak statistics:
Species / Apparent morbidity rate / Apparent mortality rate / Apparent case fatality rate / Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Bees (hives) / ** / ** / ** / ** /
*Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter.
**Not calculated because of missing information.

Epidemiology:
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
* Legal movement of animals

Epidemiological comments: European foulbrood was found following active surveillance carried out in order to determine the presence or absence of the disease. During the epidemiological investigation, no clinical signs were observed. Active surveillance will continue, and a control programme will be implemented based on the results of the characterization.

Control measures:
Measures applied
* Zoning
* No vaccination
* No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied
* No other measures

Diagnostic test results:
Laboratory name and type / Species / Test / Test date / Result
SENASA's Animal Health Diagnostic Centre (National laboratory) / Bees / polymerase chain reaction (PCR) / 21 May 2013 / Positive

Future Reporting:
The event is resolved. No more reports will be submitted.

Map of outbreak locations. [See the OIE site for a map. Lambayeque is in the northwest corner of Peru and on the coast. - Mod.MHJ]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[In the ProMED archives, this is referenced as foulbrood but more often as foul brood. As a veterinarian, it is not for me to judge the correctness or absence thereof in either term.

The causal organism of European foulbrood of honey bees (EFB) is the bacterium _Melissococcus plutonius_.

The identification of its presence by the observation of signs of disease in the field is unreliable. The most usual and obvious sign is the death of larvae shortly before they are due to be sealed in their cells, but this may be for reasons other than European foulbrood. Most infected colonies display few visible signs, which themselves often quickly abate spontaneously before the end of each active season. Infection remains enzootic within individual colonies because of mechanical contamination of the honeycombs by the durable organism. Recurrences of disease can, therefore, be expected in subsequent years.

Identification of the agent: Examination, by high-power microscopy, of suitable preparations of larval remains for the presence of numerous lanceolate cocci is adequate for most practical purposes, especially when it is done by experienced individuals.

Traditionally, the diagnosis of EFB is done by isolating and identifying the causative organism. This can be differentiated quite readily from all other bacteria associated with bees by its fastidious cultural requirements.

Additional data on EFB diagnosis are available at http://oie.int/eng/normes/mmanual/2008/pdf/2.02.03_EUROPEAN_FOULB.pdf.

The aetiological comments are by my moderator colleague AS from ProMED-mail archived post 20100821.2924. - Mod.MHJ

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1z-z.]

[These reports say the 2 problems, presumably in the same 10 hives, have been resolved, but the Apparent morbidity rate / Apparent mortality rate / Apparent case fatality rate / Proportion susceptible animals removed from the susceptible population through death or destruction were not calculated because of missing information. One hopes that the bees were destroyed and the hives disinfected.

Foulbrood spores are extremely resistant to desiccation and can remain viable for more than 40 years in honey and beekeeping equipment. The microscopic identification of these 2 outbreaks was not a simple matter, but a PCR test is available, and it is hoped that future importations of bees will be similarly expertly screened.

Photo of brood affected with foulbrood. The caps on the sealed brood are concave and perforated
https://agdev.anr.udel.edu/maarec/wp-content/gallery/diseases-of-honey-bees/72.gif
- Mod.JW]

See Also

2011
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American foul brood, apiary - UK: (Scotland) 20110716.2156
2010
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European foulbrood, bees - Norway: (AA), OIE 20100821.2924
American foul brood, apiary - UK: (Jersey) 20100612.1968
American foul brood, apiary - UK: (Scotland) 20100220.0578
2009
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American foul brood, apiary - UK: (Scotland) 20090804.2747
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