Enterococcus cecorum vector competency of Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer)

Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), or lesser mealworm, is an important pest for the broiler industry worldwide.  They are known to cause damage to insulation inside the poultry houses, as well as spread potentially harmful pathogens.  While the beetles have been found to vector Salmonella and Escherichia coli little is known about what impact the lesser mealworm can have in the dissemination of Enterococcus cecorum throughout a house.   E. cecorum has been described as the causative agent in the emerging disease known as Spondylitis.  Spondylitis causes a deformation of the spine and subsequent partial paralysis of broiler chickens resulting in mortality.  Beetles were exposed to E. cecorum spread onto blood agar plates and moved to sterile blood agar plates to see if E. cecorum could be spread from surface contact to the bacteria.  Individuals orally ingested E. cecorum and were tested for internalization of the bacteria.