On Monday 10 June 2024, the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) announced that, due to the danger posed by the American foulbrood (AFB) disease spreading, a restricted zone with a radius of 3 km around the source of infection is required.
On 5 June 2024, the ALVA confirmed infection by the pathogen of American foulbrood in a bee colony in Wahlhausen. This contagious and destructive bee disease requires the designation of a restricted zone.
The following towns are in the restricted area: Wahlhausen, Putscheid, Weiler, Hoscheid- Dickt, Untereisenbach and Merscheid.
In the restricted area, all bee colonies are to be considered suspected of foulbrood and reported to the veterinary administration as soon as possible. In order to prevent the disease from spreading further, no bee colonies may be brought into or out of the exclusion zone.
Furthermore, it is prohibited to take honeycombs, hives and material that has come into contact with bees out of the exclusion zone. All bee colonies in the exclusion zone are subject to official inspections by the health authorities for American foulbrood.
If the measures provided for are not observed, the colonies in question will be destroyed without compensation, according to Article 84 of the modified Animal Diseases Act of 29 July 1912.
The most important clinical symptoms of American foulbrood are:
- brood nest with gaps;
- sunken, holey, moist, shiny cell lids;
- mushy, coffee-brown, stringy mass in brood cells (matchstick test);
- glue-like odour;
- stuck scabs in former brood cells;
Furthermore, remaining, capped cells containing dead maggots or their remains should give rise to more detailed investigations.
The ALVA pointed out that all apiaries must be registered with the ALVA. It is possible to register apiaries that have not yet been registered with the ALVA at any time. The ALVA also noted that this is a bee-specific disease and that there is no risk to consumers when consuming honey.
