International Journal of Entomology Research

Authors
Moni Kankana Kalita, Dipali Devi, Kishor Haloi

Abstract
Antheraea assamensis Helfer, known as muga silkworm being wild in nature are exposed to various conditions of changing environment. Therefore, the muga silkworms are prone to various bacterial diseases including flacherie. In present study microbial strains Staphylococcus aureus strain FLG1 (KR025521), Bacillus thuringiensis strain MK1 (KR069143) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain DRK1 (KP688076) isolated from the gut of flacherie diseased muga silkworm were used to study their effect on alanineaminotransferase (ALT) activity and gut histology. Study results revealed that both oral administration and injected groups of larvae had an altered activity of ALT in different time interval. The midgut of oral administration group showed higher enzymatic activity than foregut and hindgut, however infected groups showed higher activity than control one. At 24 h, both B. thuringienesis and P. aerogonisa showed significantly higher ALT activity, however in S. aureus infected group the alteration was not significant at 48 and 72 h. Moreover, in bacteria injected group, 24 h of infection did not show significant alteration in foregut, however at 48 and 72 h significantly higher ALT activity was observed. The midgut and hindgut showed significantly higher ALT activity at 24 – 72 h of infection period. Similarly in oral administered groups, alteration in gut line, degenerative changes in mucous layer, broken and fused microvilli were observed.