New Bee Vaccine Touted as ‘Breakthrough’ in Protecting Pollinator From Disease

Honey Bee SwarmExperts have been signalling that several bee species are at risk of extinction due to increased loss of habitats and fallout from human activities, with diseases also factoring in into the decline.Honey bees are to be vaccinated, as a jab specially developed for the critically-important pollinator insects has just been approved for use by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).Engineered to prevent this bee species’ deaths from a bacterial condition known as American foulbrood disease, a conditional license for the inoculation was approved this week, the biotech firm Dalan Animal Health, Inc. stated.The vaccine, “breakthrough in protecting honey bees”, Dalan Animal Health CEO Annette Kleiser said in a statement.© Courtesy Wolf Creek ApiariesA honeybee pollinates a flower at Wolf Creek Apiaries in Tennessee, where no toxins are used on beehives.A honeybee pollinates a flower at Wolf Creek Apiaries in Tennessee, where no toxins are used on beehives.

Oral Vaccination

Bees are vitally important for pollination, and, as such play a critical role in the ecosystem. However, besides fatalities resulting from a plethora of factors, including human activity, loss of habitat, use of farm pesticides, disease has also been decimating colonies. American foulbrood disease is highly contagious and has no cure, with affected bee colonies typically burnt together with their hives. The new vaccine contains inactive whole-cell Paenibacillus larvae bacteria, which is incorporated into the royal jelly by the worker bees. After the queen bee eats it, vaccine fragments reach her ovaries, subsequently granting developing larvae immunity.“We are committed to providing innovative solutions to protect our pollinators and promote sustainable agriculture. Global population growth and changing climates will increase the importance of honeybee pollination to secure our food supply. Our vaccine is a breakthrough in protecting honeybees. We are ready to change how we care for insects, impacting food production on a global scale,” Dr. Annette Kleiser, CEO of Dalan Animal Health, stated.WorldHoneybees Protect Habitat With Defensive Waves12 April 2019, 22:30 GMT

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