Phenotypic characterization and ERIC–PCR based genotyping of<i>Paenibacillus larvae</i>isolates recovered from American foulbrood outbreaks in honey bees from Italy

Abstract

Both P. larvae ERIC I and ERIC II genotypes were isolated from the AFB outbreaks, but ERIC II genotype was isolated only in Northern Italy. The fermentation of fructose seems to be a genotype-specific biochemical marker.