American foulbrood detected in bee farm in Ranka parish; three-kilometre restricted zone set up
The Food and Veterinary Service has declared a three-kilometre protection zone around a bee farm in Ranka parish, Gulbenes municipality, after American foulbrood was detected. Inspectors will assess colonies and investigate the outbreak.
Outbreak discovered
American foulbrood has been detected in bee colonies at the farm "Kalnieši" in Ranka parish, Gulbenes municipality. In response, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) has designated the area within a three-kilometre radius of the affected apiary as a threatened territory.
Inspection and control measures
The senior veterinary inspector of the PVD's Austrumvidzeme administration has been tasked with carrying out clinical assessments of bee colonies in permanent apiaries within the restricted zone. The inspector will also take samples of suspicious material for laboratory testing and conduct an epidemiological investigation to identify potentially infected and epidemiologically linked apiaries, as well as the possible routes of spread and contaminated objects.
Beekeepers in the affected area are required to comply with their obligations and cooperate with PVD inspectors carrying out surveillance activities.
About the disease
American foulbrood is caused by the bacterium "Paenobacillus larvae". The disease poses no danger to humans, but it is lethal to bees if control measures are not applied in time. It also represents a significant economic threat to beekeepers, as it considerably reduces production.
The PVD is a state administrative institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, responsible for state control and monitoring of the food chain and veterinary medicine sector.
