THE NITRATE REDUCTION TEST AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE DETECTION OF BACILLUS LARVAE

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Abstract
Bacillus larvae differs from most nitrate-reducing species in its ability to accumulate nitrite in nutrient solutions containing but small amounts of nitrate (0.001%). Most nitrate-reducing organisms show no accumulation of nitrite at this concentration owing to assimilation of nitrate or disappearance of nitrite through reduction or assimilation. With many nitrate-reducing bacteria disappearance of nitrite keeps pace with nitrite formation only up to a certain concentration, varying with the organism, above which nitrite may accumulate.The ability of B. larvae to accumulate nitrite in semi-solid carrot or turnip extract media with no added nitrate is of considerable aid in the cultural test for this organism. Of five other organisms concerned with brood disease or occurring as contaminants in comb, which were grown in association with B. larvae, none showed interference with accumulation of nitrite by the latter except B. orpheus. With this species a positive nitrite test was dependent on the relative development of the organisms, B. larvae exerting a certain antagonistic action. None of the eight species of bacteria tested prevented recognition of growth of B. larvae in the semi-solid medium.

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