In the south-east of Dresden, a beehive is infected with a contagious brood disease. The infestation with so-called American foulbrood was discovered during a regular inspection in the Lockwitz district, as announced by the state capital of Dresden.
Bee colonies can die
American foulbrood, which is harmless to humans, can cause bee colonies to die within a short period of time. It is caused by a bacterium that infects the bee brood and quickly leads to its death. Instead of larvae and pupae, all that remains in the brood combs is a coffee-brown, stringy mass. The pathogen usually enters the hive via contaminated honey or honeycombs and is spread via bee contact, equipment and food exchange.
