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American foulbrood: restricted area in Graupe lifted!
Dresden lifts restricted area after AFB outbreak. Information on symptoms and reporting suspected cases.
American foulbrood: restricted area in Graupe lifted!
Yesterday the good news was announced for the beekeepers and hobby beekeepers in Graupe: The restricted area that had existed around a company since March 28, 2025 due to the outbreak of American foulbrood (AFB) has been lifted. The Dresden city administration announced this in an official announcement that was published in the state capital's electronic official gazette. The lifting of the restricted area came into force on June 16, 2025, as no pathogen could be detected in official samples in the area of the restricted area, as Dresden.de reports.
But what is behind this threatening disease? American foulbrood, caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, is one of the most dangerous diseases for bees. This bacterium reproduces through cell division and can even survive in spore form for decades. Around two percent of all bee colonies in Germany are infected, although outbreaks occur only rarely. If beekeepers suspect illness, they should contact the Veterinary and Food Inspection Office in Dresden immediately, either by phone on 0351 4887551 or by email at veterinaeramt@dresden.de.
Diagnosis and symptoms of American foulbrood
Diagnosis is often not easy for experienced beekeepers because the symptoms are varied. Typical signs include:
- Durchlöcherte, dunkel verfärbte, eingesunkene oder abgeflachte Zelldeckel
- Schwache Völker
- Ein fauliger oder schweißartiger Geruch
- Ein zungenförmiger, flacher, dunkelbrauner bis schwarzer Schorf auf dem Boden der Brutzelle
- Eine Streichholzprobe: Ein 1 cm langer Faden beim Herausziehen deutet auf einen Ausbruch hin.
The disease can progress in different ways. Outbreaks do not always occur immediately and can be delayed for months or even years. It is crucial to monitor bees regularly and detect any problems early to avoid spread.
Prevention and control
Dresden.depoints out that it is important to act preventively. Here are some measures beekeepers can take:
- Regelmäßige Kontrolle des Brutbildes
- Schwache Völker auflösen
- Vermeiden von Räubereien
- Regelmäßige Wabenerneuerung
- Überprüfung der Gesundheitsbestätigung beim Kauf von Bienen
It is important to know that there is no specific medication for American foulbrood. In the event of an outbreak, veterinary authorities are responsible for control, including culling of infected colonies, which typically varies depending on the time of year and severity of the outbreak.
The situation is not only threatened by diseases like AFB. Infestation by the Varroa mite, which has been considered one of the biggest enemies of bees for several years, is also a serious problem. This mite is widespread worldwide and is considered the most important bee pest. Regular checks are therefore essential to ensure the health of bee colonies in the long term, as FlI.de explains.
Beekeepers in Graupe and the surrounding area can breathe a sigh of relief, but vigilance remains important. Animal health is not only a responsibility of beekeepers, but also a task for the entire community to ensure harmonious coexistence between people and nature.