The United States Department of Agriculture granted conditional approval for a prophylactic vaccine that prevents honeybees from American foulbrood diseases. This was developed by a biotech firm named Dalan Animal Health.

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ARCADIA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 15: Honeybees gather in a hive after they survived Hurricane Ian at Councell farms on December 15, 2022 in Arcadia, Florida. B. Keith Councell said he lost approximately 3,000 hives and untold numbers of bees to the storm. Beekeepers in the region lost around 100,000 total hives and millions of bees when the high winds and storm surge inundated the area. 

Granting a Conditional License

Honeybees, as one of the most important pollinators in the world, were observed by many as they saw their numbers declining in recent years. This problem is caused by climate change, habitat destruction, pesticide use, or diseases. 

The decline might affect us humans negatively as these insects were seen as essentials, especially to the fruit industry. Fortunately, a biotech company in Athens, Georgia came up with a solution to one of the problems mentioned above. 

According to Engadget, Dalan Animal Health received a conditional license from the United States Department of Agriculture for its developed prophylactic vaccine. The company's manufacturer Diamond Animal Health holds the conditional license.

The company had to show several pieces of evidence that the vaccine is safe, pure, and certain degrees of efficacy, as they seek for a full approval. 

Honeybees Vaccines

The vaccine will protect honeybees from American foulbrood disease, as the drug contains dead Paenibacillus larvae that kill the bacteria that causes the illness, based on a report from The Guardian. 

This will be mixed with the queen feeds workers bees eat instead of jabbing the entire colony. Through this process, the vaccine will proceed to the royal jelly, where the drones feed their queen. Eventually, the queen's offspring will be born with immunity against harmful bacteria. 

Karl-Franzens University of Graz Associate Professor Dalail Freitak stated that it could change the traditional way scientists approach animal health. 

She added, "There are millions of beehives all over the world, and they don't have a good healthcare system compared to other animals. Now we have the tools to improve their resistance against diseases."

American Foulbrood Disease

Researchers and scientists were assuming since then that insects could not acquire immunity from these kinds of diseases, as they lacked antibodies that help many animals' immune systems to recognize and fight bacteria and viruses.

The New York Times reported that the American foulbrood turns larvae dark brown, and can make the hive give off a rotting smell. This disease became rampant in the 1800s and early 1900s in some parts of the United States. It can easily wipe out 60,000 bees.

Also Read: Researchers Figure Out The Secrets Behind Honey Bee Language 

Dalan Animal Health Chief Executive Officer Annette Kleiser described the vaccine as a breakthrough in protecting honeybees. "We are ready to change how we care for insects, impacting food production on a global scale," she stated.

The CEO added that these insects are livestock, which should be prioritized to have the same resources to care for them and protect them that other animals receive such as chickens, cats, dogs, etc.

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