Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Selected Treatments of Nosema Spp. Infection by the Hemocytometric Method and Duplex Pcr

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed an increase in the mortality of honey bees in many regions of the world. The observed decrease in the bee population results from a combination of factors, and microsporidian parasites Nosema apis and N. ceranae are among the main contributors. Those parasites cause a microsporidian infection that shortens the lifespan of bees and reduces the productivity of bee colonies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Nozevit, Api Herb and ApiX (acetylsalicylic acid + Artemisia absinthium L. extract) in the control of infections caused by Nosema spp. in a fi eld experiment. Two groups of worker bees were evaluated -hive bees and forager bees returning to the hive. The effect of the analyzed therapies on the number of spores and the microsporidia species were analyzed by the hemocytometric method and duplex PCR. A statistical analysis revealed that the applied treatments had reduced the number of spores by 31.15% on average. In hive bees, Nosema spp. infection was most effectively reduced by Nozevit (67.85%) and ApiX (63.36%). Coinfections (N. ceranae and N. apis) were affi rmed in all bee samples before treatments. However, after the treatments, single infection of N. apis and N. ceranae were detected. The tested treatments were more effective in the control of N. apis than N. ceranae.

Lotmaria Passim As Third Parasite Gastrointestinal Tract of Honey Bees Living in Tree Trunk

“…These pathogens have been identified in 46.7% of bee colonies in Switzerland (Retschnig et al, 2017) and in 95.7% of bee colonies in Serbia (Stevanovic et al, 2016). Bee colonies are also increasingly being infected with N. ceranae in Poland, which was confirmed in our previous study (Michalczyk, Sokół, & Koziatek, 2015). Nosema ceranae was also the predominant pathogen in the feral honeybee samples analyzed in the present study (Fig.…”

Effects of sugar feeding supplemented with three plant extracts on some parameters of honey bee colonies

“…In fact, this can be understood by the role of chamomile in controlling pathogens that infect the abdomen of bees; therefore, improving the health of adult bees and colony development. This role of chamomile or similar plants was proved in previous studies including studies on Nosema ( Michalczyk et al, 2016 , Abou-Shaara, 2018a ). Each of cinnamon and mint showed less positive effects on colony development than chamomile.…”

Nosema ceranae in Apis mellifera: a 12 years postdetection perspective

“…The most popular alternative treatments against nosemosis in Europe are Api Herb, Nozevit1, Vita Feed Gold, Protofil, Hive Alive and Nosestat. Other treatments, such as acetylsalicylic acid with extract of Artemisia absinthium L. and extracts of Aster scaber and Artemisia dubia, are currently under study (Kim et al, 2016;Michalczyk et al, 2016). Alternative products have been tested under laboratory conditions with some success (Porrini et al, 2010;Bravo et al, 2017), although they are not commercially available.…”