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Taxonomy
Morphology
Growth conditions
Biochemical characters
Ecology
Pathogenicity
References
Bacteria => Firmicutes => Bacilli => Bacillales => Paenibacillaceae => Paenibacillus => Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae, Ash et
al. 1994, (formerly Bacillus larvae, White 1906).
al. 1994, (formerly Bacillus larvae, White 1906).
Gram positive, 1.5-6 / 0.5-0.6 μm bacillus.
Motility variable (11-89% of strains are motile). Motile strains produce fascicular agglomerations of released flagella (“giant cords”)
sized between 0.2 – 30 μm. Some strains synthetise zooglea.
Sporulated, with 1.1-1.3 / 0.6-0.7 μm, ellipsoidal, deforming spore, located central or sub-terminal.
Long chains or filaments, sometimes parallel.
Frequently free spores observed in smears from dead honeybees of ‘American foulbrood’.
Motility variable (11-89% of strains are motile). Motile strains produce fascicular agglomerations of released flagella (“giant cords”)
sized between 0.2 – 30 μm. Some strains synthetise zooglea.
Sporulated, with 1.1-1.3 / 0.6-0.7 μm, ellipsoidal, deforming spore, located central or sub-terminal.
Long chains or filaments, sometimes parallel.
Frequently free spores observed in smears from dead honeybees of ‘American foulbrood’.
Aerobic, facultative anaerobic. Requires aerobic conditions for vegetative growth and
sporulation.
Spores’ germination enhanced by low oxygen atmosphere.
Do not grow on simple media (nutritive broth or nutritive agar) - essential
characteristic for differentiating from other genera of Bacillus and Paenibacillus (only
P. larvae together with Paenibacillus popilliae & P. lentimorbus ( two japanese
scarabeid larvae pathogens) do not grow on simple media).
Main growth media:
- Honeybee larvae extract medium
- Nutritive broth / agar with 10% rabbit / horse serum
- BHI with 0,01% thiaminhydrochloride
- Medium with yeast extract, glucose, starch, monopotassic phosphate, agar
sporulation.
Spores’ germination enhanced by low oxygen atmosphere.
Do not grow on simple media (nutritive broth or nutritive agar) - essential
characteristic for differentiating from other genera of Bacillus and Paenibacillus (only
P. larvae together with Paenibacillus popilliae & P. lentimorbus ( two japanese
scarabeid larvae pathogens) do not grow on simple media).
Main growth media:
- Honeybee larvae extract medium
- Nutritive broth / agar with 10% rabbit / horse serum
- BHI with 0,01% thiaminhydrochloride
- Medium with yeast extract, glucose, starch, monopotassic phosphate, agar
Isolated from honeybees larvae dead of’ American foulbrood, from wax, pollen, nectar, honey and all the other components the affected
beehive.
During sporulation produces an antibiotic active against many Gram negative, Gram positive and acid-fast bacteria.
beehive.
During sporulation produces an antibiotic active against many Gram negative, Gram positive and acid-fast bacteria.
Natural infection: producing American foulbrood in Apis mellifera L. & Apis cerana characterized by changes of color, consistency, odour
and volume of the larvae; followed by death.
Experimental infection: honeybee larvae only pathogen, not for other insects, mouse, rat, hamster, rabit or human etc.
Pathogenicity factors: a thermo-stable toxin, proteolytic enzymes, hemolymph & tissue multiplication.
and volume of the larvae; followed by death.
Experimental infection: honeybee larvae only pathogen, not for other insects, mouse, rat, hamster, rabit or human etc.
Pathogenicity factors: a thermo-stable toxin, proteolytic enzymes, hemolymph & tissue multiplication.
- Bailey L. (1963) – Infectious disease of honey-bee. Land Books Limited, London.
- Gordon R.E., Haynes W.C., Pang C.H. (1973) – The genus Bacillus . Agriculture Handbook No. 427, U.S.D.A., Washington D.C.
- Buchanan R.E., Gibbons N.E., Cowan S.T., Holt J.G., Liston J., Murray R.G.E., Niven C.F., Ravin A.W., Stanier R.W. ( 1974) – Bergey’
s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, Eight Edition, The Williams & Wilkins Company, Baltimore. - Sorescu Ionut (1998) – Cercetari privind raspunsul imun in principalele boli bacteriene si micotice ale albinei melifere, Apis
mellifera L. Teza de doctorat, USAMV Bucuresti. - Heyndricks M., Vandemenlebroecke K., Hoste B., Janssen P., Kersters K., De Vos P., Logan N. A., Ali N., Berkeley R.C.W. (1996)
Reclassification of Paenibacillus (formerly Bacillus) pulvifaciens (Nakamura 1984) Ash et al. 1994, a later subjective synonym of
Paenibacillus (formerly Bacillus) larvae (White 1906) Ash et al. 1994, as a subspecies of P. larvae subsp. pulvifaciens.
International J. Syst. Bact., 46, 1, 270-279.
Acid from: glicerol, glucose & trehalose.
Casein decomposition, Gelatin liquefaction, Lipase, H2S production positive
Starch hydrolysis, Phenilalanine, Indole production, Voges-Proskauer, Catalase, Arginin-dehydrolase, ONPG negative
Nitrates reduction to nitrites variable
Casein decomposition, Gelatin liquefaction, Lipase, H2S production positive
Starch hydrolysis, Phenilalanine, Indole production, Voges-Proskauer, Catalase, Arginin-dehydrolase, ONPG negative
Nitrates reduction to nitrites variable
Soluble starch stimulates sporulation.
Growth pH: 6.6 – 7.4, optimal growth temperature 34 – 37 ºC (min. 25 ºC,
max. 40 ºC) / 48 – 72 hours.
Cultural characters:
- in liquid medium: non-uniform, moderate turbidity , deposit, some strains can form a thin, transparent film.
- on solid medium: small, 1-2 mm Ө, gray / light yellow, R-type, sand-granule aspect colonies. On enriched or biphasic medium may
form large, mucous, opaque colonies because of their ability to produce (in the sporulation period) an antibiotic substance active against
many Gram positive / negative bacteria.
P. larvae is isolated solely and in a pure culture from diseased / dead larvae body .
Growth pH: 6.6 – 7.4, optimal growth temperature 34 – 37 ºC (min. 25 ºC,
max. 40 ºC) / 48 – 72 hours.
Cultural characters:
- in liquid medium: non-uniform, moderate turbidity , deposit, some strains can form a thin, transparent film.
- on solid medium: small, 1-2 mm Ө, gray / light yellow, R-type, sand-granule aspect colonies. On enriched or biphasic medium may
form large, mucous, opaque colonies because of their ability to produce (in the sporulation period) an antibiotic substance active against
many Gram positive / negative bacteria.
P. larvae is isolated solely and in a pure culture from diseased / dead larvae body .
(c) Costin Stoica
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