Development of a probiotic mixture based on Lactobacillus kunkeei, to improve honeybee health

ARREDONDO, D.; PORRINI, MARTÍN P; GARRIDO P, M.; EGUARAS, M.; PABLO ZUNINO; ANTUNEZ KARINA

Murcia

Congreso; EurBee Congress of Apidology; 2014

EurBee

Native intestinal microbial community is essential to maintain anadequate nutrition, health and immunity against pathogens. The administrationof probiotics as feed aditives is a widely used strategy, both in humans andanimals, in order to improve health. In a previous work we obtained and characterized a collection of isolatesfrom the midgut microbial community of healthy honey bees. Ten isolates wereselected based on their biological characteristics (in vitro inhibition of Paenibacillus larvae, resistance to highsugar levels and low pH values, production of lactic acid, among others). Theaim of this study was to evaluate those isolates as potential probiotics.We assessed their in vivo pathogenicity on larvae and adultbees; their in vivo effect against Paenibacillus larvae and Nosema ceranae, and their ability to modulatethe immune system of adult bees. After oral administration of the bacterial preparations in sugar syrup,none of them resulted pathogenic for adult bees or larvae. Regarding their effectagainst pathogens, an increased viability was found in P. larvae infected larvae, when a mixture of Lactobacillus kunkeei strains was added to their food. This mixturewas also able to decrease the infection levels by N. ceranae spores. Finally, those isolates were able to modulate theexpression of genes related to immunity.These results suggest that L.kunkeei strains are promising candidates to be used in a probioticpreparation to improve honeybee health. Further assays are needed to assess theireffect on colonies in the field.