Molecular characterization of Paenibacillus larvae larvae, for early diagnosis of american foulbrood of honeybees in Egypt

A reliable procedure for early detection of Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae (P. l. larvae), the causal agent of American Foulbrood disease (AFB) of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subspecies – specific KAT primers. A PCR amplicon of the expected size 550 bp only found in P. l. larvae strains was used for positive AFB. This PCR assay provides a specific detection for P. l. larvae from week 1 post infection even if there is no clinical symptoms appeared in a colony. The technique can be directly used to detect presence or absence of P. l. larvae spores in honeybee samples and contaminated honeys.