• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2002

Paenibacillus larvae is a gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that is etiological agent for american foulbrood disease (AFB), which is the most severe disease in honey bee. To detect P. larvae from infected honeybee-comb or larvae, polyclonal antibody against whole bacterium was produced from guineapig and its specificity was evaluated. After optimization of ELISA-based detection system using these antibodies, a number of different P. larvae strains were analysed. Polyclonal antibody against P. larvae ATCC 25747 showed high affinity to most strains of P. larvae including P. larvae. strain ATCC 9545 (type strain), ATCC 25747 and other korean strain, SJl5 but exhibited no cross-reaction with other bacterial species. Additionally, this type of ELISA system was used for the detection of AFB in field-application The results have shown that this antibody could be useful for the rapid identification and monitoring of P. larvae in honeybee-comb.