Red alert: American foulbrood threatens bees in the Kassel district!

Red alert: American foulbrood threatens bees in the Kassel district!

Alarm among beekeepers in Hesse: An outbreak of American foulbrood (AFB) was detected in a bee population in Kassel. This is reported by the Hessian transcript. Parts of the local districts of Philippineshof-Warteberg, North Holland and Fasanenhof as well as Fuldatal- Ihringshausen were immediately declared an AFB restricted area. The Kassel district has not yet found any other infected bee colonies, which is a relief for the time being. District spokeswoman Alia Shuhaiber explains: “So far there are no bees in the district affected by foulbrood.”

Measures are underway to prevent the spread of the dangerous animal disease. Dominik Heinz from the Wolfhagen Beekeeping Association notes that there are currently no problems with AFB in the old Wolfhagen district. Beekeepers rely on preventative measures, including regular feed sample analysis, to identify suspicious symptoms at an early stage. AFB is not only contagious, but can also have devastating consequences if it is not treated quickly enough.

Damage and measures to combat it

American foulbrood is caused by a spore-forming bacterium that infects bee larvae. These bacteria can enter a hive via honey or abandoned apiaries and remain infectious for years. Symptoms include dark discolored and sunken cell covers as well as stringy, coffee-brown mass in the cells.

If AFB cases are detected, the affected honeycombs and food must be removed. The bees have to starve for 1-2 days, while drastic measures, such as the complete destruction of the bee colony, are a last resort. Wolfgang Scheele, chairman of the Hofgeismar beekeeping association, also confirms: “No current problems with AFB in the Hofgeismar district.”

Regulations in the restricted area

Bees may not be moved in the newly created restricted area and beekeeping must be registered with the responsible veterinary office. A general order with further regulations will be published soon to tighten control. This includes the ban on removing dead or live bees and equipment from the restricted area. The veterinary office will examine all bee colonies in the restricted area for AFB. This ensures that no infections go undetected - a step in the right direction.

Since combating AFB is an extremely important measure, there are nationwide guidelines and practical guidelines that have emerged from experience in combating epidemics. An example of this is the current practical guide from Dr. Otto Boecking and Dr. Pia Aumeier, which was published in 2020 and provides beekeepers and experts with the knowledge they need to detect AFB early and actively combat it. Germany is also pursuing a strategy with laboratory diagnostics and AFB monitoring for the early detection of outbreaks, which is essential in the fight against the disease.

With the right combination of precaution and quick action, beekeepers can face the challenges of American foulbrood and protect the health of their bees as best as possible. Because one thing is clear: good bees are an indispensable part of nature and its pollination activities. Let's not let the AFB get us down! Interested beekeepers are encouraged to regularly inform themselves about developments and measures and to seek advice from experts in order to achieve the best possible results.