OIE Reference Laboratory Reports
Activities in 2011
Name of disease (or topic) for
which you are a designated OIE
Reference Laboratory:
Address of laboratory:
Bee diseases
Chemisches Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Freiburg
P.O.B. 100462,
D-79123 Freiburg,
GERMANY
Tel.:
(49-761)1502.175
Fax:
(49-761)1502.299
e-mail address:
Wolfgang.ritter@cvuafr.bwl.de
website:
Name (including Title and
Position) of Head of Laboratory
(Responsible Official):
Dr Wolfgang Ritter
Name (including Title and
Position) of OIE Reference
Expert:
Dr Wolfgang Ritter
Name (including Title and
Position) of writer of this report
(if different from above):
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
1
Bee diseases
Part I: Summary of general activities related to the disease
The chemical and veterinary institute Freiburg (CVUA) is responsible for the diagnostic of animal diseases and the
control of food in parts of Baden-Württemberg /Germany.
1.
Tests in use available for the specified diseases at our laboratory
Disease
Test
For
Specificity
Total
Acariosis
Microscopic
Parasite
identification
Type
418
American foulbrood
Culture tech.
Bacterial
counting
Type
3646
RT-PCR
DNA
Type
21
European foulbrood
Culture tech
Parasite
identification
Type
15
Nosemosis
Microscopic
Parasite
identification
Type
92
Macroscopic
Parasite
identification
Type
416
Macroscopic
Parasite
identification
Group
416
Macroscopic
Predator
identification
Type
416
Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV)
RT-PCR
RNA
Type
95
Chronical Bee Paralysis Virus
(CBPV)
RT-PCR
RNA
Type
72
Deformed wing virus (DWV)
RT-PCR
RNA
Type
95
Kashmir bee virus (KBV)
RT-PCR
RNA
Type
5
Sac brood virus (SBV)
RT-PCR
RNA
Type
102
Varroosis
Tropilaelaps spp.
Small hive beatle
2.
Production and distribution of diagnostic reagents
For the diagnosis of European Foulbrood and American Foulbrood, strains of P.l. and M.p., respectively, were
given to different diagnostic laboratories as reference strains.
The diagnosis of P.l. and various viruses was performed for different countries.
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Bee diseases
Part II: Activities specifically related to the mandate
of OIE Reference Laboratories
3.
International harmonisation and standardisation of methods for diagnostic testing or the
production and testing of vaccines
a)
Establishment and maintenance of a network with other OIE Reference Laboratories
designated for the same pathogen or disease and organisation of regular inter-laboratory
proficiency testing to ensure comparability of results
Diagnostic methods are harmonized in collaboration with other OIE reference Laboratories
b)
Organisation of inter-laboratory proficiency testing with laboratories other than OIE
Reference Laboratories for the same pathogens and diseases to ensure equivalence of
results
For notifiable bee diseases an international interlaboratory test will be conduced in the year 2012 in
collaboration with the European Reference Laboratory.
4.
Preparation and supply of international reference standards for diagnostic tests or vaccines
In cooperation with other institutes different reference materials were created.
5.
Research and development of new procedures for diagnosis and control
Diagnosis of Paenibacillus larvae in Debris of bee colonies
The examinations on the evidence of Paenibacillus larvae, the cause of American Foulbrood, were extended to the
analysis of faeces of bee colonies. A method was developed at the Institute in Dole (CSR). In more than 2000 bee
colonies in one region in Germany, bottom layers were introduced in winter for two to four weeks. In spring, about
4 to 5 months later, food samples from the brood nest area were taken from these colonies. The examination on
spores of the P.l. showed that the pathogen agent could be found more frequently in the debris samples than in the
food. It has still to be evaluated if, from the number of spores in the debris, it can be concluded that an outbreak of
a disease is possible. At any rate, the debris in bee colonies is suitable to diagnose spores of the pathogen agent of
American Foulbrood.
Pathogenesis of European Foulbrood in Germany and Switzerland
The examinations on different variations of the pathogenesis of European Foulbrood have been continued near the
borderline to Switzerland. Whereas this disease has become more and more epidemic in Switzerland, it is
regionally restricted in Germany and only rarely spread within neighboring apiaries. Even flight routes of the bees
from both areas are overlapping, different types of pathogens cannot be excluded as a reason. According to the
results achieved until now, management method and hive types could have an influence on the epidemic process.
The examinations are going to be continued.
6.
Collection, analysis and dissemination of epizootiological data relevant to international disease
control
Data on bee losses in the EU and other parts of the world were collected.
7.
Maintenance of a system of quality assurance, biosafety and biosecurity relevant to the
pathogen and the disease concerned
The laboratory is accredited following DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and EG 882/2004.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
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Bee diseases
8.
Provision of consultant expertise to OIE or to OIE Member Countries
The OIE expert Dr W. Ritter participated at various hearings of experts at the FAO and the Veterinary Board of
the European Union.
He is head of the ad hoc group on diseases of honey bees, which met at the OIE headquarters in Paris in July 2011.
9.
Provision of scientific and technical training to personnel from other OIE Member Countries
The OIE expert, Dr Ritter, participated in the establishment of diagnostic methods at various laboratories. He
participated in the Sub-regional training seminar on diseases of honey bees for OIE national focal points for
animal disease notification to the OIE held from June 14 - 17, 2011 in Ezulwini Swaziland.
10. Provision of diagnostic testing facilities to other OIE Member Countries
The Service was requested from Austria, Greece, Italy and Switzerland on an individual level (institutes,
companies, organisations).
11. Organisation of international scientific meetings on behalf of OIE or other international bodies
International OIE Symposium at Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 19. to 20. September 2011: Diagnosis and
Control of Bee Diseases
Upon invitation by the OIE reference laboratory at CVUA-Freiburg/Germany and Animal Health, SENSA in
Argentina, the third symposium on diagnosis and control of bee diseases was held at Buenos Aires / Argentina,
from September 19 to 20, 2011. In total, 116 participants of 35 countries attended the meeting. In 30 speeches, the
latest scientific findings concerning the most spread and OIE listed bee diseases worldwide were presented and
discussed. The symposium, moderated by the OIE bee health expert Dr. Wolfgang Ritter from Germany and Dr.
Mariano Bacchi of Animal Health, SENASA in Argentina, was opened by Dr. Luis Barcos, Regional
Representation of OIE for the Americas and Dr. Jorge Dillon, National Director of Animal Health, SENASA in
Argentina. The moderation of lectures and discussions about the individual diseases was taken over by different
chair persons.
Dr. Ingemar Fries from Sweden outlined the actual knowledge about the two Nosema species spread with the
honey bee. Nosema apis up to know prevalent in Europe, Africa and America has been replaced nearly totally by
Nosema ceranae originating from Asia. Nosema ceranae multiplies more rapidly in warmer regions, but is more
susceptible to frost in colder regions.
In his group, Dr. Wolfgang Ritter (Germany) could present new control strategies against the Varroa mite to avoid,
among others, the reinvasion of mites into treated colonies. Retrospectively, however, it is questionable if, in
future, bee colonies can be kept alive by medical treatment only. This is mainly valid when bees are
simultaneously damaged by other unfavorable factors like e.g. viruses transmitted by parasites.
Dr. Adriana Allipi (Argentina) showed in her group the different possibilities to diagnose American and European
Foulbrood. The alternatives to treatment with antibiotics are promising but not yet fit for practice. In some
European countries, the European Foulbrood (EFB) shows an epidemiology similar to American Foulbrood
(AFB). The increasing importance of EFB demands the development of advanced diagnosing and treatment
possibilities.
Dr. Peter Neumann (Switzerland) could only present few lectures on the Small Hive Beetle. This is mainly due to
the circumstance that, at present, it is generally regarded as less important for beekeeping. Certainly, this is not the
case in sub-tropical and tropical regions, but also in moderate climatic zones it poses a threat e.g. to bee colonies
weakened by the Varroa mite.
In his section, Dr. Jeff Pettis (USA) presented new findings on the reasons for Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD),
the symptoms of which are still responsible for the death of more than one third of the bee colonies in the USA per
year. A multi-functional cause is getting more and more probable. The models developed in this context to prevent
from diseases attracted a great deal of attention.
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Bee diseases
Dr. Mariano Bacchi explained in his section that a national survey and control system for assessment and
prevention of bee damages is indispensable. This, however, can only be achieved with considerable workload and
expenses.
The symposium showed again the importance of a direct exchange of ideas between experts. Though many of
them also participated at the consecutive Apimondia congress in Argentina und heard there similar lectures in the
Commission for Bee Health presided by Dr. Ritter, the OIE Symposium offered the unique occasion to discuss
problems and possible solutions directly with their colleagues in a more focused way. The next symposium on this
topic is planned for Kiev (Ukraine), in 2013.
42th International Congress of Apimondia Buenos Aires / Argentina, from September 21 st to 29th, 2011.
A total number of 8500 scientists and practitioners from all over the world participated at this congress organized
by Apimondia, an NGO cooperating with the FAO. The symposia of the seven Scientific Commissions were
translated simultaneously in English and Spanish, the plenary sessions additionally in French and Russian. The
author, as the President of the Scientific Commission for Bee Health, organized one plenary session on the topic
“Strategies to improve honeybee health” and three symposia on the subjects „American and European Foulbrood:
prevention of residues and relapses”, „Bee surveillance systems on bee health and colony losses: arrangement and
improvement“ and „Diagnosis and Control of bee diseases“. Of the 220 abstracts submitted, 38 were presented in
form of speeches and 80 as posters. Abstracts can be downloaded from www.apimondia.org.
EU-DG Sanco: Better training for saver food
In cooperation with an NGO and by order of the European Commission, the author has been offering training
courses for veterinarians working in the civil service. During the one week’s course at Prague (Czech Republic)
the basic facts about diagnosis and control of the most important bee diseases as well as the most important
official and international regulations are taught. In the afternoons, staff members of the Czech Institute at Dole
will demonstrate the contexts in practice. During the year under review, two courses with 45 participants each
from different countries of the European Union and neighboring countries were realized. Another two courses are
planned for the following year.
12. Participation in international scientific collaborative studies
COLOSS/COST Action
As official delegate of the Federal Republic of Germany, the author participated at different activities of the
Colloss Project funded by the European Union (COST) since 2009.
13. Publication and dissemination of information relevant to the work of OIE (including list of
scientific publications, internet publishing activities, presentations at international conferences)

Presentations at international conferences and meetings
Ritter W. Different statements and presentations on bee losses at different meetings.
Ritter, W. Possibilities and risk of use of drugs in bee hives. Sub-regional training seminar on diseases of honey
bees for OIE national focal points for animal disease notification to the OIE held from June 14 to 17, 2011 in
Ezulwini, Swaziland
Ritter, W. Strategies and possibilities to diagnose and control bee diseases in traditional and local bee hives. Subregional training seminar on diseases of honey bees for OIE national focal points for animal disease notification to
the OIE held from June 14 to 17, 2011 in Ezulwini, Swaziland
Ritter, W. Update on bee diseases, 42. Apimondia congress. 22. to 25. September 2011Buenos Aires, Argentina,
Ritter, W. 30 years’ experience with Varroa destructor. OIE Symposium: Diagnosis and control of bee diseases,
Buenos Aires, 19. and 20. September, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2011
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
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Bee diseases

Scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals
Fedorova A.A., Azzami K., Ryabchikova E.I., Spitsyna Y.E., Silnikov V.N., Ritter W., Gross H.J., Tautz J.,
Vlassov V.V., Beier H., Zenkova M.A. Inactivation of a non-enveloped RNA virus by artificial ribonucleases:
Honey bees and Acute bee paralysis virus as a new experimental model for in vivo antiviral activity assessment.
Antiviral Research 91 (2011) 267-277.
Buchholz S., Merkel K., Spiewok S., Imdorf A. , Pettis J. S., Westervelt D., Ritter W., Duncan M., Rosenkranz
P., Spooner-Hart R., Neumann P., Organic acids and thymol: unsuitable for alternative control of Aethina tumida
(Coleopter : Nitidulidae)? Apidologie (2011) 42: 349-363

Other communications
Several statements, expert opinion and consultancy reports.
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011