Mr John Mackay1, Rebecca Hewett1, Noa Smith1, Tammy Waters1, John Scandrett2
1dnature diagnostics & research Ltd, Gisborne, New Zealand, 2Scandrett Rural Ltd, Invercargill, New Zealand
Biography:
John is the technical director of dnature (DNA in a range of nature). The company specialises in the development of molecular diagnostic tests from extraction method to results. Many of these tests have become the industry standard for their respective primary industry – from multiple apiculture tests to kiwifruit pathogens and plant viruses. While providing a range of molecular diagnostic testing services itself, the company has also formulated many of their tests into ready to use kits allowing rapid adoption by other laboratories –ranging from multiplex qPCR methods to high resolution melting assays.
Abstract:
American Foulbrood (AFB) is a devastating bacterial disease of honeybees and subject to strict biocontrol measures in New Zealand and Australia. Diagnosis is centred on the beekeeper’s skill in recognising clinical symptoms – a highly subjective and time-consuming activity. Previous testing methods have relied on sampling that necessitates dismantling the hive and/or requires multiple visits to a hive to retrieve passive samples. The Foster method is the first non-invasive eDNA sampling method using colony entrance swabs together with a dual-target qPCR for Paenibacillus larvae: the highly-infectious spore-forming bacteria causing AFB disease. The quantification data generated can be used to detect hives with clinically significant infections, even before visual symptoms are apparent. The sampling method has also shown potential to monitor other bee pathogens and biosecurity incursion pests since it was first described.