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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted conditional use to the world’s first-ever vaccine for honeybees that could prevent colonies from getting infected with American foulbrood, a type of bacterial disease that affects the bee’s larvae.
Dalan Animal Health, the U.S.-based biotech company that developed the vaccine, announced the approval in a Jan. 4 statement.
“We are committed to providing innovative solutions to protect our pollinators and promote sustainable agriculture,” said Annette Kleiser, the company’s chief executive officer, noting that the vaccine is “a breakthrough in protecting honeybees.”
Prior to the vaccine, the fatal bacterial brood disease could not be cured. If a beekeeper noticed one of their colonies was infected with American foulbrood, the infected hive would often be incinerated to prevent the disease from spreading, killing all the bees and equipment. In some Mid-Atlantic states, this practice is mandatory....