1202 Chiang Mai J. Sci. 2018; 45(3) Chiang Mai J. Sci. 2018; 45(3) : 1202-1213 http://epg.science.cmu.ac.th/ejournal/ Contributed Paper Screening of Antagonistic Bacterial Isolates from Hives of Apis cerana in Vietnam Against the Causal Agent of American Foulbrood of Honey Bees, Paenibacillus larvae Sasiprapa Krongdang [a,b], Jeffery S. Pettis [c], Geoffrey R. Williams [d] and Panuwan Chantawannakul* [a,e,f] [a] Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand. [b] Interdisciplinary Program in Biotechnology, Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand. [c] USDA-ARS, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA. [d] Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA. [e] Center of Excellence in Bioresources for Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand. [f] International College of Digital Innovation, Chiang Mai University, 50200, Thailand. * Author for correspondence; e-mail:
[email protected] Received: 15 February 2017 Accepted: 20 June 2017 ABSTRACT American foulbrood (AFB) is a virulent disease of honey bee brood caused by the Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium; Paenibacillus larvae. In this study, we determined the potential of bacteria isolated from hives of Asian honey bees (Apis cerana) to act antagonistically against P. larvae. Isolates were sampled from different locations on the fronts of A. cerana hives in Vietnam. A total of 69 isolates were obtained through a culture-dependent method and 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed affiliation to the phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. Out of 69 isolates, 15 showed strong inhibitory activity against P.