Monitoring the Disinfection of Honeybee Combs by Ethylene Oxide
- 1 January 1976
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Apicultural Research
- Vol. 15 (2) , 63-65
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.1976.11099836
Abstract
Brood combs contaminated with larvae killed by American foul brood (scales) were treated with 100 mg per litre of ethylene oxide (ETO) in a vacuum chamber. After exposure for 18 h at 27°C, the scale samples had the same odour, appearance, fluorescence, and proteolytic activity as untreated control scales. Microscopic examination of Bacillus larvae spore suspensions prepared from the scales disclosed no differences in refractility of the spores between treated and untreated samples. Culture of scale suspensions in germination medium revealed no viable spores from the treated group in concentrations as high as 107 spores per tube. However, spores from untreated scales grew in concentrations as low as 101 spores per tube. It is considered that laboratory demonstration of the effectiveness of ETO sterilization can best be made by bacteriological culture.Keywords
This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Growth, protease formation, and sporulation of Bacillus larvae in aerated broth cultureJournal of Invertebrate Pathology, 1973
- Disinfection of Honeybee Combs by Gamma Irradiation I. American Foul Brood DiseaseJournal of Apicultural Research, 1970
- Bacillus larvae: its Cultivation in vitro and its Growth in vivoJournal of General Microbiology, 1962