A novel bacteriophage-derived approach for Paenibacillus larvae control in Apiculture

Honey bees are responsible for producing 1/3 of the world food supply by pollination of more than 100 species of flowering plants and the value of this service is estimated at €153 billion/year. They are vital to preservation and sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems. However, they are attacked by many pathogens as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. One of the most devastating
bacterial diseases affecting honeybee larvae is American Foulbrood (AFB). It is caused by Paenibacillus larvae, a worldwide-distributed spore forming gram-positive bacterium that spreads easily across apiaries producing highly resistant spores. In case of AFB symptoms in apiaries, complete burning of contaminated hives is recommended, which cause serious economic losses.
Although antibiotics could be a therapeutic alternative, the subsequent problems with bacterial resistances and the strict European legislation prohibiting antibiotics in honey for human consumption discard this treatment option. In this context, ApiLyse aims at demonstrating that bacteriophage (phage)-derived products are natural, reliable and valuable antimicrobial tools to control AFB. Phages are ubiquitous in nature and show no toxicity to animals, plants or humans. They specifically recognize their host bacteria, which they infect and multiply within. Phages produce enzymes (endolysins) that breakdown the host cell wall, releasing 'progeny' that start new infection cycles. Although endolysins alone are highly explored in medical fields for their rapid killing of gram-positive bacteria, this approach in apiculture will be genuinely innovative. (...)