Natural infection by<i>Nosema ceranae</i>causes similar lesions as in experimentally infected caged-worker honey bees (<i>Apis mellifera</i>)

García-Palencia, Pilar; Martín-Hernández, Raquel; González-Porto, Amelia V.; Marı́n, P.; Meana, Aránzazu; Higes, Mariano

doi:10.3896/ibra.1.49.3.08

Cited by 41 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Indeed, there were significantly fewer bee combs in the spring and summer months in the colonies with the strongest N. ceranae infection (groups CS and C). Colony population size depends mainly on the worker bee life span [11] and as N. ceranae has a negative impact on this parameter in honey bees [21,45,46], it probably exerts a direct negative impact on colony size in accordance with our results.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Nosema spp. infection and its negative effects on honey bees (Apis mellifera iberiensis) at the colony level

Botías

Martín-Hernández

Barrios

et al. 2013

Vet Res

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175

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Nosemosis caused by the microsporidia Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae are among the most common pathologies affecting adult honey bees. N. apis infection has been associated with a reduced lifespan of infected bees and increased winter mortality, and its negative impact on colony strength and productivity has been described in several studies. By contrast, when the effects of nosemosis type C, caused by N. ceranae infection, have been analysed at the colony level, these studies have largely focused on collapse as a response to infection without addressing the potential sub-clinical effects on colony strength and productivity. Given the spread and prevalence of N. ceranae worldwide, we set out here to characterize the sub-clinical and clinical signs of N. ceranae infection on colony strength and productivity. We evaluated the evolution of 50 honey bee colonies naturally infected by Nosema (mainly N. ceranae) over a one year period. Under our experimental conditions, N. ceranae infection was highly pathogenic for honey bee colonies, producing significant reductions in colony size, brood rearing and honey production. These deleterious effects at the colony level may affect beekeeping profitability and have serious consequences on pollination. Further research is necessary to identify possible treatments or beekeeping techniques that will limit the rapid spread of this dangerous emerging disease.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Nosema spp. infection and its negative effects on honey bees (Apis mellifera iberiensis) at the colony level

Botías

Martín-Hernández

Barrios

et al. 2013

Vet Res

Self Cite

175

130

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“…In both cases, the structure of the immature stages and mature spores (Fig. D) displayed the characteristics previously reported for this species (Higes et al ., ; García‐Palencia et al ., ). The lesions observed in infected epithelial ventricular cells of both isolates were also similar to previously reported findings.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Virulence and polar tube protein genetic diversity of Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) field isolates from Northern and Southern Europe in honeybees (Apis mellifera iberiensis)

Zee¹,

Gómez‐Moracho²,

Pisa³

et al. 2014

Environ Microbiol Rep

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Infection of honeybees by the microsporidian Nosema ceranae is considered to be one of the factors underlying the increased colony losses and decreased honey production seen in recent years. However, these effects appear to differ in function of the climatic zone, the distinct beekeeping practices and the honeybee species employed. Here, we compared the response of Apis mellifera iberiensis worker bees to experimental infection with field isolates of N. ceranae from an Oceanic climate zone in Northern Europe (Netherlands) and from a Mediterranean region of Southern Europe (Spain). We found a notable but non-significant trend (P = 0.097) towards higher honeybee survival for bees infected with N. ceranae from the Netherlands, although no differences were found between the two isolates in terms of anatomopathological lesions in infected ventricular cells or the morphology of the mature and immature stages of the parasite. In addition, the population genetic survey of the N. ceranae PTP3 locus revealed high levels of genetic diversity within each isolate, evidence for meiotic recombination, and no signs of differentiation between the Dutch and Spanish populations. A cross-infection study is needed to further explore the differences in virulence observed between the two N. ceranae populations in field conditions.

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“…Based on PCR detection of the parasite, it has been suggested that N. ceranae can parasitize structures other than the epithelial cells of the ventriculi in worker bees, such as the Malpighian tubules, hypogharyngeal and salivary glands (Chen et al ., ; Gisder et al ., ; Copley and Jabaji, ), head, thorax, ovaries, spermatheca and eggs (Traver and Fell, ). However, these results have not been confirmed by histopathological studies and nor have different developmental stages of Nosema been observed in cell types other in than the epithelial cells of the ventriculum (Higes et al ., ; García‐Palencia et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In both experimentally and naturally infected bees ( A. mellifera ), N. ceranae infection significant alters bee behaviour and the physiology of the infected tissue (ventriculi). In both cases, similar anatomopathological alterations have been reported (Higes et al ., 2007; 2009b; Chen et al ., ; García‐Palencia et al ., ), including degeneration of the epithelial ventricular cells, the presence of vacuoles in the cytoplasm, disruption of the cellular membranes and a reduced size of the cell nucleus.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia), a controversial 21st century honey bee pathogen

Higes¹,

Meana

Bartolomé

et al. 2013

Environ Microbiol Rep

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177

138

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The worldwide beekeeping sector has been facing a grave threat, with losses up to 100-1000 times greater than those previously reported. Despite the scale of this honey bee mortality, the causes underlying this phenomenon remain unclear, yet they are thought to be multifactorial processes. Nosema ceranae, a microsporidium recently detected in the European bee all over the world, has been implicated in the global phenomenon of colony loss, although its role remains controversial. A review of the current knowledge about this pathogen is presented focussing on discussion related with divergent results, trying to analyse the differences specially based on different methodologies applied and divisive aspects on pathology while considering a biological or veterinarian point of view. For authors, the disease produced by N. ceranae infection cannot be considered a regional problem but rather a global one, as indicated by the wide prevalence of this parasite in multiple hosts. Not only does this type of nosemosis causes a clear pathology on honeybees at both the individual and colony levels, but it also has significant effects on the production of honeybee products.

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Natural infection byNosema ceranaecauses similar lesions as in experimentally infected caged-worker honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Cited by 41 publications

References 31 publications

Nosema spp. infection and its negative effects on honey bees (Apis mellifera iberiensis) at the colony level

Nosema spp. infection and its negative effects on honey bees (Apis mellifera iberiensis) at the colony level

Virulence and polar tube protein genetic diversity of Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) field isolates from Northern and Southern Europe in honeybees (Apis mellifera iberiensis)

Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia), a controversial 21st century honey bee pathogen

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