American and European Foulbrood (AFB and EFB) are considered the most contagious infectious diseases affecting honeybees worldwide. New sustainable strategies need to be implemented for their prevention and control, and probiotics may represent one solution to investigate. In our study, we evaluated the efficacy of one strain of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) isolated from northern Italy, orally administered to the bees for AFB and EFB prevention. From March to September 2014, a total of 979 honeybee colonies (9.6% of Viterbo province—Central Italy) were taken under observation from 22 apiaries. Overall prevalence of AFB was 5.3% in treated colonies and 5.1% in the untreated ones. On the contrary, EFB prevalence was lower in the treated colonies (2.5%) compared to the untreated ones (4.5%). L. plantarum showed a significant effect in reducing insurgence of cases of EFB up to 35 days after the end of the treatment (p-value: 0.034). Thanks to this study we could investigate the preventive efficacy of L. plantarum in controlling AFB and EFB, and obtain official data on their clinical prevalence in Central Italy.

Background: The use of antibiotics in beekeeping has potential implications for honeybee health and environmental contamination. Recent research indicates that extensive antibiotic use in beekeeping, especially oxytetracycline, promotes antimicrobial resistance in bee-related bacteria. Honeybees can transport oxytetracycline-resistance genes during foraging, potentially establishing reservoirs of resistance in the colony and facilitating intergeneric gene transfer among various gut bacteria as well as in the microbiome of the flowers and the wider environment, where honeybees can spread antibiotic-resistance genes over a large distance. This study investigates the effects of oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC) treatment on honeybees from a One Health perspective, examining antibiotic residues in honey, environmental spread, and the presence of tetracycline-resistance genes (TET-RGs). Methods: In the spring of 2022, two groups of four honeybee hives were placed near an almond grove in Central Italy. One group was treated with 1.68 g of OTC, while the other remained untreated. Samples were collected from bees, honey, hive entrances, and flowers before treatment and at 3 as well as 9 days post-treatment. OTC residues and TET-RGs were analyzed to assess contamination and resistance gene dissemination. Results: OTC residues were detected in honey from both treated (day 3: 263,250.0 ± 100,854.3 µg/kg; day 9: 132,600 ± 146,753.9 µg/kg) and untreated hives (day 3: 20.5 ± 8.2 µg/kg; day 9: 135.8 ± 198.6 µg/kg), suggesting cross-contamination. Residues were also found in almond tree flowers (0.7 ± 0.1 µg/kg), with TET-RGs (tet(K), tet(L), tet(M), tet(B), tet(O), tet(D)) detected pre- and post-treatment. In honeybee gut bacteria, resistance genes (tet(M), tet(A), tet(D), tet(B)) appeared post-treatment in both groups. No significant correlation was observed between hive distance and resistance gene presence in flowers, although the presence of other farms located within the bees’ flight range, in which OTC might have been used in the past, could have influenced the results. Conclusions: These findings highlight the risk of OTC-induced antibiotic cross-contamination and the spread of TET-RG, raising concerns for bee health and environmental safety. Given honeybees’ social nature and the negative effects of antibiotics on their health, an antibiotic-free management approach is recommended for sustainable apiculture.

The kinetics of milk release is influenced by several factors, including the milking facility, which affects the milk emission profile and quality. In dairy goats, the typical working vacuum level is 41–44 kPa; higher levels negatively impact health, quality, and milkability traits. This study, which was conducted on a commercial dairy farm located in the Latium region (central Italy), evaluates the impact of two vacuum levels (38 kPa and 42 kPa) on the milk emission profile and somatic cell content in Saanen goats. Statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) of 400 milk flow curves recorded from 100 goats in four different afternoon milking sessions (200 at 42 kPa and 200 at 38 kPa) showed no significant differences in terms of milk yield, total milking time, or bimodal curve percentage when using two different operating vacuum levels. However, the milk emission time was longer at 38 kPa (1.86 vs. 1.71 min), while the peak flow rate (1.04 vs. 0.96 kg/min) and blind time (0.32 vs. 0.24 min) were higher at 42 kPa. Somatic cell content decreased significantly as the working vacuum level decreased (2470 vs. 2167 × 1000 cells/mL). This is in line with current studies which suggest that high vacuum levels increase the risk of udder injury and intramammary infection. In conclusion, adjusting the milking machine to a working vacuum level of 38 kPa, and performing proper maintenance and routine checks, significantly improves somatic cell content, and, consequently, milk quality, in goats.