Journal of Biochemistry & Biotechnology open access journal, mainly focuses on updating and advancing biological science through our high-quality articles which include original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and technical reports which come under the scope of biochemistry and biotechnology.

The pathogen of pebrine is transmitted to a host either vertically or horizontally. Vertical transmission may arise in two distinct ways depending upon whether the passage of the pathogen occurs on the surface of the egg or within the ovary of the mother moth. Horizontal transmission occurs only in the larval stage. The most frequent source of infection in this stage is that which occurs when feces from infected larvae contaminate the food and are thus ingested by healthy larvae in the same colony. Sanitation and disease-free stock are the principal strategies of pebrine prevention.

N. bombycis belongs to the family Nosematidae of the phylum Microsporida. Once ingested by silkworm larva, N. bombycis spores (“corpuscles” of Pasteur’s day) are stimulated to germinate in the larval midgut. The germinating spore injects its germ into a cell of the midgut epithelium through a tubule ejected from the spore. The germ multiplies intracellularly by binary fission. Finally, sporogony is initiated to produce oval and pyriform spores. The former spores serve for transmission between hosts, while the latter spores serve to spread the infection within the same host. Pyriform spores inject their germ into neighboring host cells. The repetition of this cycle results in the systemic infection of the host. Spores are present in carcasses, excreta (feces, regurgitated gut juice, meconium) and detached parts (eggshells, exuviae, and scales) of pebrinized silkworms. They survive in the external environment for many years unless they are dehydrated, heated or exposed to sunlight. Thus, there may be very distant contact in time between the source host and the host subsequently infected. Alternate host insects of N. bombycis may also serve as the source of infection. Moreover, some carnivorous non-host animals such as insects, fishes, and birds may play a role in the dissemination of the pebrine pathogen, for N. bombycis spores remain infectious after being passed through their intestinal tract.

For economic reasons, the object of pebrine management is not the eradication of the pathogen but the stable reduction of its population to a level no longer important economically. The management is more population than individual oriented. The therapy of individual silkworms is not undertaken because of the economics involved. Sanitation and disease-free stock are the principal strategies for the prevention of pebrine. The main objective of these measures is to stop or at least minimize the spread of infection during the early larval instars. The use of resistant varieties is attractive from the managerial and economic standpoints because it requires no action during rearing. When genetic resistance is so high as to completely prevent pathogenesis, there will be no initial disease to start an epizootic. The amount of research being accomplished on this aspect is sadly out of balance with that being conducted on the pathogen.

We are accepting submissions for the upcoming issue. Topics are Cancer, Metabolism & their disorders, Cell biology, Genetic engineering, Bioinformatics. Authors can submit their articles to our online system which helps to submit directly to the editorial management.

Kind Regards,
Nicola B
Editorial Manager
Journal of Biochemistry & Biotechnology
Email: biochembiotech@scholarlypub.com