This study evaluated the bactericidal efficacy of a disinfectant containing chlorine dioxide as its main ingredient against Paenibacillus larvae (P. larvae) that is the causative agent of American foulbrood. A bactericidal efficacy test by broth dilution method was used to determine the lowest effective dilution of the disinfectant following exposure to P. larvae for 30 min at 4°C. The disinfectant and test bacterium were diluted with low and high organic matter (OM) suspension according to treatment condition. On low and high OM conditions, the bactericidal activity of the disinfectant against P. larvae was 2.5 and 1.25 fold dilution, respectively. The recommended dilution time of the disinfectant in low and high OM was 2.0 and 1.0 fold dilution, respectively. As the disinfectant possesses bactericidal efficacy against P. larvae, the disinfectant can be used to prevent American foulbrood in larvae of honeybees.

American foulbrood (AFB) is caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, which is highly contagious and often lethal to honeybee broods. To control AFB, rapid diagnostic tools including those based on immunological methods are required. We produced several specific mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against P. larvae. Interestingly, a few of the MAbs were revealed to be an IgM-type antibody. To ascertain the effects of adjuvants on immunoglobulin isotype switching, BALB/c mice were immunized with various adjuvants, i.e., Freund's adjuvant (FA), Alum adjuvant, and AddaVax™ followed by the generation of hybridoma that secreted monoclonal antibodies to P. larvae. In the case of AddaVax™, all screened hybridoma clones secreted IgG-type MAbs, whereas hybridomas generated by Alum and FA secreted 91.25% (7/80) and 66.67% (11/33) respectively, IgG-type MAbs. Although the mechanism of incomplete immunoglobulin isotype switching associated with the P. larvae antigen needs further study, our results indicate that the applied adjuvants can have a significant effect on immunoglobulin isotype switching results.

Allomyrina dichotoma is a typical pet beetles in Korea. From 2010, similar symptoms of milky spore disease were found collectively in grubs of the species reared in insect farms. They shared a specific symptom that the skin of last instar larvae was changed softer with opaque white and infested grubs eventually died. To clarify the cause of the symptom, we collected the larvae of A. dichotoma from five farms and examined intestinal bacterial florae of them using pyrosequencing technique. From those results, a member of Paenibacillus was found only in the larvae showing the symptom of disease. Through PCR analysis using a Paenibacillus specific primer set, we obtained the partial 16S rRNA gene sequence and confirmed the microbe as Paenibacillus sp. For detailed characterizing, a whole guts was extracted from each larva showing the sign of the disease and incubated at 70℃ for 15 min to isolate spore forming bacteria. After then, each content of guts was cultured on MYPGPNAL agar medium (12.5 μg/ml of nalidixic acid) at 30℃. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis for six isolate showed that they were closely related to P. rigui (97.5~98.0% similarity) and to P. chinjuensis (95.9~96.6% similarity). Additional tests including API test and cellular fatty acid composition analysis were performed, but the strain couldn’t be identified at species level, suggesting it may represent novel species of the genus Paenibacillus.

Paenibacillus larvae는 Gram양성의 내생포자 형성 세균으로, 꿀벌의 질병 중 가장 심각한 피해를 입히는 미국부저병(AFB)의 원인균이다. 이 P. larvae를 발병전인 봉군 또는 애벌레에서 보다 빠르게 검출하기 위하여 기니아피그를 이용하여 이 병원균에 대한 다클론 항체를 제작하였고 또한 그 항체의 성능을 평가하였다 제작된 항체를 이용한 ELISA검색법을 개발한 후, 다수의 P. larvae균주를 검사하였다. 그 결과 P. larvae ATCC 25748의 균체를 사용하여 제작된 항체는 ATCC 9545 (대표균주), ATCC 25747, 국내 분리 균주인 SJl5등과 높은 항체 친화성을 나타내었으며. 다른 세균 종들과는 반응하지 아니하였다. 또한 이 ELISA검색법은 미국 부저병의 현장검사에 적용하기 위하여 사용되었으며, 그 결과로 본 연구에서 제시하는 항체는 벌집 내 또는 애벌레 내에 존재하는 P. larvae의 빠른 동정과 모니터 링에 매우 유용함을 보여주었다.