Recognition of an Odour Pattern from Spore Samples by Trained Detection Dogs.

Spores of the bacteria play a central role in the transmission of American Foulbrood (AFB), a major disease of honey bee () colonies. This study investigated whether trained detection dogs could recognise an odour pattern from spore samples. Although dogs have previously been used to detect diseased larvae in colonies with AFB, this is the first time they have been investigated for detecting spore samples.