First-in-Class Honeybee Vaccine Receives Conditional License from the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics
Dalan Animal Health announced that the USDA has granted a conditional license for a vaccine to protect honeybees from American Foulbrood disease, a major threat to agriculture. This vaccine is a major advancement, as it enables prevention rather than the previous method of euthanizing infected hives. Developed by Dalan and manufactured by Diamond Animal Health, the non-GMO vaccine is anticipated to be on the market in 2023. This innovation aims to enhance honeybee health and secure global food production, as honeybees are crucial for pollination.
- USDA granted a conditional license for a honeybee vaccine.
- The vaccine presents a sustainable alternative to current treatment methods.
- Expected availability of the vaccine in 2023 could meet a critical agricultural need.
- None.
Honeybees are a critical component of agriculture. One-third of the global food supply relies on pollination, and healthy commercial hives are essential to secure high crop yields. However, honeybees are plagued by American Foulbrood, with previously no safe and sustainable solution for disease prevention. Overt clinical cases of American Foulbrood are notifiable in the
“This is an exciting step forward for beekeepers, as we rely on antibiotic treatment that has limited effectiveness and requires lots of time and energy to apply to our hives,” explained
“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,” said Dr.
The bacterin was developed by
About the vaccine
The vaccine, which contains killed whole-cell Paenibacillus larvae bacteria, is administered by mixing it into queen feed which is consumed by worker bees. The vaccine is incorporated into the royal jelly by the worker bees, who then feed it to the queen. She ingests it, and fragments of the vaccine are deposited in her ovaries. Having been exposed to the vaccine, the developing larvae have immunity as they hatch. Pivotal efficacy studies have indicated that oral vaccination of honeybees may reduce larval death associated with American Foulbrood infections caused by P. larvae. The vaccine is non-GMO and can be used in organic agriculture.
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