American foulbrood

Summary

American foulbrood (AFB) disease is the most serious brood disease of honeybees in NSW. It is caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. AFB has been found in all states and territories in Australia.

AFB is a notifiable disease under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015. There is a persistent low level of infection in NSW and there is some evidence it is increasing. Early and accurate diagnosis of this disease is essential if control is to be effective.

Topics include:

• examining brood
• signs of the disease
• spread
• diagnosis
• treatment
• avoiding major disease outbreaks