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Shamaev ND, Shuralev EA, Mukminov MN. Current status of Nosema spp. infection cases in apis mellifera in eurasian countries and Ptp3 gene haplotypes in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:2691-2698. [PMID: 38644458 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10383-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
The current status of Nosema spp. infections in A. mellifera throughout Eurasia was characterized using electronic databases. Although N. ceranae was predominantly detected in southwestern and south-central regions and N. apis in northwestern and north-central areas, most studies reported the occurrence of both species in Eurasia. In addition, the occurrence of Nosema spp. and Ptp3 gene haplotypes was investigated in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. Most of the examined honey bees were infected with both N. apis and N. ceranae. N. apis and N. ceranae isolates were either heterozygous or belonged to different strains and showed infection with more than one strain. New haplotypes were found for N. apis and N. ceranae in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. This study expands the data regarding existing haplotypes of Nosema species: there are currently 9 shared and 56 unique Ptp3 nucleotide sequence haplotypes of N. ceranae, and 2 shared and 7 unique haplotypes of N. apis, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolai D Shamaev
- Central Research Laboratory, Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education (Kazan State Medical Academy Branch), Republic of Tatarstan, 36 Butlerova St, Kazan, 420012, Russia.
- Department of Applied Ecology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Kazan Federal University, Republic of Tatarstan, 18 Kremlyovskaya St, Kazan, 420008, Russia.
- Kazan State Medical University, Republic of Tatarstan, 49 Butlerova St, Kazan, 420012, Russia.
| | - Eduard A Shuralev
- Central Research Laboratory, Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education (Kazan State Medical Academy Branch), Republic of Tatarstan, 36 Butlerova St, Kazan, 420012, Russia
- Department of Applied Ecology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Kazan Federal University, Republic of Tatarstan, 18 Kremlyovskaya St, Kazan, 420008, Russia
- Kazan State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after N.E. Bauman, Republic of Tatarstan, 35 Sibirskiy tract St, 420029, Kazan, Russia
| | - Malik N Mukminov
- Central Research Laboratory, Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education (Kazan State Medical Academy Branch), Republic of Tatarstan, 36 Butlerova St, Kazan, 420012, Russia
- Department of Applied Ecology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Kazan Federal University, Republic of Tatarstan, 18 Kremlyovskaya St, Kazan, 420008, Russia
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Aguado-López D, Urbieta Magro A, Higes M, Rodríguez JM, Martín-Hernández R. Influence of Age of Infection on the Gut Microbiota in Worker Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera iberiensis) Experimentally Infected with Nosema ceranae. Microorganisms 2024; 12:635. [PMID: 38674580 PMCID: PMC11051791 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota of honey bees has received increasing interest in the past decades due to its crucial role in their health, and can be disrupted by pathogen infection. Nosema ceranae is an intracellular parasite that affects the epithelial cells of the midgut, altering gut homeostasis and representing a major threat to honey bees. Previous studies indicated that younger worker bees are more susceptible to experimental infection by this parasite, although the impact of infection and of age on the gut bacterial communities remains unclear. To address this, honey bees were experimentally infected with a consistent number of N. ceranae spores at various ages post-emergence (p.e.) and the gut bacteria 7 days post-infection (p.i.) were analysed using real-time quantitative PCR, with the results compared to non-infected controls. Infected bees had a significantly higher proportion and load of Gilliamella apicola. In respect to the age of infection, the bees infected just after emergence had elevated loads of G. apicola, Bifidobacterium asteroides, Bombilactobacillus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Bartonella apis, and Bombella apis. Moreover, the G. apicola load was higher in bees infected at nearly all ages, whereas older non-infected bees had higher loads of Bifidobacterium asteroides, Bombilactobacillus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Ba. apis, and Bo apis. These findings suggest that N. ceranae infection and, in particular, the age of bees at infection modulate the gut bacterial community, with G. apicola being the most severely affected species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Aguado-López
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Almudena Urbieta Magro
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Juan Miguel Rodríguez
- Departamento de Nutrición y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
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Vairimorpha ceranae was the only detected microsporidian species from Iranian honey bee colonies: a molecular and phylogenetic study. Parasitol Res 2021; 121:355-366. [PMID: 34792656 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07381-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Nosemosis caused by Vairimorpha ceranae is one of the most important threats to honeybee colonies worldwide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and intensity of Vairimorpha infection in different types of colonies and locations in Iran. In October 2017 and May 2018, 376 colonies from 97 apiaries were selected for each month according to a randomly clustered design. By considering 3-5 colonies for each apiary, 20 adult bees as pooled samples were collected from each colony. In microscopic analysis, 46.52% and 46.1% of samples in May and October showed Vairimorpha spores, respectively. The infection intensities in May and October were 5.94 ± 0.19 (× 106) and 5.86 ± 0.23 (× 106) spores/bee in a pooled sample, respectively. The mean infection intensity ranged from 1.8 to 12.5 (× 106) spores/bee. Statistically, there were no significant differences in the prevalence and intensity of V. ceranae infection between May and October samples. No significant differences were found among the prevalence rates of infection in the types of colonies; however, the intensity was significantly higher in migratory and mountainous colonies in May and only in migratory colonies in October. There was a significant correlation between the prevalence and intensity of V. ceranae infection (r2 = 0.695). PCR analysis showed that the samples were only infected with V. ceranae. No intraspecific variation to V. ceranae was found by direct sequencing of the amplified fragment of 16S rRNA. The obtained sequence was mainly 100% similar to those of V. ceranae isolates from European countries.
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Takashima S, Ohari Y, Itagaki T. Prevalence of Nosema species infections in Apis cerana japonica and Apis mellifera honeybees in the Tohoku region of Japan. Parasitol Int 2021; 83:102361. [PMID: 33894389 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
We investigated here, the prevalence of Nosema microsporidia infections in the honeybees, Apis cerana japonica and Apis mellifera, in the Tohoku region of Japan. We detected Nosema ceranae DNA in 14 (2.8%) of 509 A. cerana japonica and in 34 (21.9%) of 155 A. mellifera honeybees from Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima prefectures. Nosema apis DNA was undetectable in A. cerana japonica and A. mellifera. The unidentifiable Nosema species that genetically differed from N. apis, N. ceranae, and N. neumanni in terms of small subunit (SSU) rDNA, large subunit rDNA, and internal transcribed spacer sequences was identified in 105 (20.6%) of 509 A. cerana japonica and in 1 (0.6%) of 155 A. mellifera honeybees, and from Iwate prefecture. A phylogenetic tree based on SSU rDNA sequences showed that the Nosema sp. belonged to the same clade as N. thomsoni detected in moth and solitary bees in North America and N. pieriae found in cabbage butterfly in Turkey, which have not hitherto been detected in honeybees. The morphological characteristics of the spores should be analyzed to enable species identification of the Nosema sp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Takashima
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, 3-18-8 Ueda, Morioka 020-8550, Japan
| | - Yuma Ohari
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, 3-18-8 Ueda, Morioka 020-8550, Japan
| | - Tadashi Itagaki
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, 3-18-8 Ueda, Morioka 020-8550, Japan.
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Lannutti L, Mira A, Basualdo M, Rodriguez G, Erler S, Silva V, Gisder S, Genersch E, Florin-Christensen M, Schnittger L. Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and a direct LAMP for the specific detection of Nosema ceranae, a parasite of honey bees. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:3947-3956. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06915-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Prevalence of the Microsporidian Nosema spp. in Honey Bee Populations ( Apis mellifera) in Some Ecological Regions of North Asia. Vet Sci 2020; 7:vetsci7030111. [PMID: 32823756 PMCID: PMC7559424 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7030111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Two species of microsporidia, Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae, are obligate intracellular parasites that are widespread in the world and cause the infectious disease (Nosemosis) of the Western honey bee Apis mellifera. Information on the prevalence and distribution of Nosema species in North Asia conditions is scarce. The main aim of the present study is to determine the prevalence of Nosema spp. (Nosemosis) in honey bees inhabiting some inland regions of North Asia (Western and Eastern Siberia, Altai Territory, Russia, and northeastern part of Kazakhstan). The objective of the paper is also to assess the influence of climatic factors on the spread of N. ceranae. Eighty apiaries in four ecological regions of North Asia (southern taiga, sub-taiga zone, forest steppe, and mountain taiga forests) were investigated with regard to distribution, prevalence, and diversity of Nosema infection in honey bees using duplex-PCR. Nosema infected bees were found in 65% apiaries of ecoregions studied, and coinfection was predominant (36.3% of Nosema-positive apiaries). Both N. apis and N. ceranae occur across subarctic and warm summer continental climates, but while N. apis predominates in the former, N. ceranae is more predominant in the latter. No statistically significant differences in Nosema distribution were identified in various climatic zones. In the sub-taiga zone (subarctic climate), low presence of colonies with pure N. ceranae and a significantly higher proportion of coinfection apiaries were revealed. Long-term epidemiological study of Nosema spp. prevalence in the sub-taiga zone showed a surprising percentage increase of Nosema-positive apiaries from 46.2% to 74.1% during 2012–2017. From 2012 to 2015, N. apis became a predominant species, but in 2016–2017, the coinfection was mainly detected. In conclusion, the results of this investigation showed that N. ceranae is widespread in all study ecoregions of North Asia where it exists in combination with the N. apis, but there is no replacement of N. apis by N. ceranae in the studied bee populations.
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Grupe AC, Quandt CA. A growing pandemic: A review of Nosema parasites in globally distributed domesticated and native bees. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008580. [PMID: 32555676 PMCID: PMC7302437 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Arthur C. Grupe
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - C. Alisha Quandt
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
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Tokarev YS, Zinatullina ZY, Ignatieva AN, Zhigileva ON, Malysh JM, Sokolova YY. Detection of two Microsporidia pathogens of the European honey bee Apis Mellifera (Insecta: Apidae) in Western Siberia. Acta Parasitol 2018; 63:728-732. [PMID: 30367769 DOI: 10.1515/ap-2018-0086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Two species of microsporidia, Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae, occur regularly and cause significant losses in apiculture throughout the world. N. ceranae is thought to be an emerging pathogen of the European honey bee which is replacing N. apis. Microscopic analysis of honey bees collected in Tyumen region, South-Western Siberia, suggested presence of two microsporidial pathogens slightly differing in spore size and shape. PCR detection using species-specific primer sets 312APIS and 218MITOC followed by PCR product sequencing confirmed the diagnosis of N. apis and N. ceranae, respectively. Microsporidia were present in private apiaries through 2008-2010, and among 21 colonies from 7 localities, two colonies were infected with both pathogens, while infections with N. apis only were detected in 8, and with N. ceranae only in 13 colonies. These data suggest that N. ceranae is widely spread in South-Western Siberia alongside with N. apis and is able to persist in the regions with average January temperatures below -18°C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri S Tokarev
- All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection, Laboratory of Microbiological Plant Protection, 196608, Podbelskogo, 3,Pushkin, Saint-Petersburg,Russia
| | - Zimfira Y Zinatullina
- All-Russian Institute of Veterinary Entomology and Arachnology - Branch of Tyumen Scientific Center SB RAS, Laboratory of bee diseases, 625041, Institutskaya, 2,Tyumen, Russia
| | - Anastasiya N Ignatieva
- All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection, Laboratory of Microbiological Plant Protection, 196608, Podbelskogo, 3,Pushkin, Saint-Petersburg,Russia
| | - Oksana N Zhigileva
- Tyumen State University, Department of Ecology and Genetic, 625003, Volodarskogo Str., 6,Tyumen, Russia
| | - Julia M Malysh
- All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection, Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, 196608, Podbelskogo, 3,Pushkin, Saint-Petersburg,Russia
| | - Yulia Y Sokolova
- Institute of Cytology, Laboratory of Cytology of Unicellular Organisms, 194064, Tikhoretski 4, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
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Martín-Hernández R, Bartolomé C, Chejanovsky N, Le Conte Y, Dalmon A, Dussaubat C, García-Palencia P, Meana A, Pinto MA, Soroker V, Higes M. Nosema ceranaeinApis mellifera: a 12 years postdetectionperspective. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:1302-1329. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental de Marchamalo, (CIAPA-IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha; Marchamalo Spain
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT-FEDER), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla - La Mancha; Spain
| | - Carolina Bartolomé
- Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Xenómica Comparada de Parásitos Humanos, IDIS, 15782 Santiago de Compostela; Galicia Spain
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center; Rishon LeZion Israel
| | - Yves Le Conte
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement; F-84000 Avignon France
| | - Anne Dalmon
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement; F-84000 Avignon France
| | | | | | - Aranzazu Meana
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; Spain
| | - M. Alice Pinto
- Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança; 5300-253 Bragança Portugal
| | - Victoria Soroker
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center; Rishon LeZion Israel
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental de Marchamalo, (CIAPA-IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha; Marchamalo Spain
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Li W, Evans JD, Li J, Su S, Hamilton M, Chen Y. Spore load and immune response of honey bees naturally infected by Nosema ceranae. Parasitol Res 2017; 116:3265-3274. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5630-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Gisder S, Schüler V, Horchler LL, Groth D, Genersch E. Long-Term Temporal Trends of Nosema spp. Infection Prevalence in Northeast Germany: Continuous Spread of Nosema ceranae, an Emerging Pathogen of Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera), but No General Replacement of Nosema apis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:301. [PMID: 28730143 PMCID: PMC5498484 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is widely used as commercial pollinator in worldwide agriculture and, therefore, plays an important role in global food security. Among the parasites and pathogens threatening health and survival of honey bees are two species of microsporidia, Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae. Nosema ceranae is considered an emerging pathogen of the Western honey bee. Reports on the spread of N. ceranae suggested that this presumably highly virulent species is replacing its more benign congener N. apis in the global A. mellifera population. We here present a 12 year longitudinal cohort study on the prevalence of N. apis and N. ceranae in Northeast Germany. Between 2005 and 2016, a cohort of about 230 honey bee colonies originating from 23 apiaries was sampled twice a year (spring and autumn) resulting in a total of 5,600 bee samples which were subjected to microscopic and molecular analysis for determining the presence of infections with N. apis or/and N. ceranae. Throughout the entire study period, both N. apis- and N. ceranae-infections could be diagnosed within the cohort. Logistic regression analysis of the prevalence data demonstrated a significant increase of N. ceranae-infections over the last 12 years, both in autumn (reflecting the development during the summer) and in spring (reflecting the development over winter) samples. Cell culture experiments confirmed that N. ceranae has a higher proliferative potential than N. apis at 27° and 33°C potentially explaining the increase in N. ceranae prevalence during summer. In autumn, characterized by generally low infection prevalence, this increase was accompanied by a significant decrease in N. apis-infection prevalence. In contrast, in spring, the season with a higher prevalence of infection, no significant decrease of N. apis infections despite a significant increase in N. ceranae infections could be observed. Therefore, our data do not support a general advantage of N. ceranae over N. apis and an overall replacement of N. apis by N. ceranae in the studied honey bee population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Gisder
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Institute for Bee ResearchHohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Vivian Schüler
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Institute for Bee ResearchHohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Lennart L Horchler
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Institute for Bee ResearchHohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Detlef Groth
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of PotsdamPotsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Elke Genersch
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Institute for Bee ResearchHohen Neuendorf, Germany.,Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen, Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich VeterinärmedizinBerlin, Germany
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12
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Retschnig G, Williams GR, Schneeberger A, Neumann P. Cold Ambient Temperature Promotes Nosema spp. Intensity in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera). INSECTS 2017; 8:E20. [PMID: 28208761 PMCID: PMC5371948 DOI: 10.3390/insects8010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between parasites and environmental factors have been implicated in the loss of managed Western honey bee (=HB, Apis mellifera) colonies. Although laboratory data suggest that cold temperature may limit the spread of Nosema ceranae, an invasive species and now ubiquitous endoparasite of Western HBs, the impact of weather conditions on the distribution of this microsporidian in the field is poorly understood. Here, we conducted a survey for Nosema spp. using 18 Swiss apiaries (four colonies per apiary) over a period of up to 18 months. Samples consisting of 60 workers were collected monthly from each colony to estimate Nosema spp. intensity, i.e., the number of spores in positive samples using microscopy. Ambient apiary temperature was measured daily to estimate the proportion of days enabling HB flight (>10 °C at midday). The results show that Nosema spp. intensities were negatively correlated with the proportion of days enabling HB flight, thereby suggesting a significant and unexpected positive impact of cold ambient temperature on intensities, probably via regulation of defecation opportunities for infected hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Retschnig
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3003, Switzerland.
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern 3003, Switzerland.
| | - Geoffrey R Williams
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3003, Switzerland.
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern 3003, Switzerland.
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
| | - Annette Schneeberger
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3003, Switzerland.
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3003, Switzerland.
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern 3003, Switzerland.
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Aroee F, Azizi H, Shiran B, Pirali Kheirabadi K. Molecular identification of Nosema species in provinces of Fars, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Isfahan (Southwestern Iran). Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apjtb.2016.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Silencing the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Naked Cuticle Gene (nkd) Improves Host Immune Function and Reduces Nosema ceranae Infections. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:6779-6787. [PMID: 27613683 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02105-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nosema ceranae is a new and emerging microsporidian parasite of European honey bees, Apis mellifera, that has been implicated in colony losses worldwide. RNA interference (RNAi), a posttranscriptional gene silencing mechanism, has emerged as a potent and specific strategy for controlling infections of parasites and pathogens in honey bees. While previous studies have focused on the silencing of parasite/pathogen virulence factors, we explore here the possibility of silencing a host factor as a mechanism for reducing parasite load. Specifically, we used an RNAi strategy to reduce the expression of a honey bee gene, naked cuticle (nkd), which is a negative regulator of host immune function. Our studies found that nkd mRNA levels in adult bees were upregulated by N. ceranae infection (and thus, the parasite may use this mechanism to suppress host immune function) and that ingestion of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) specific to nkd efficiently silenced its expression. Furthermore, we found that RNAi-mediated knockdown of nkd transcripts in Nosema-infected bees resulted in upregulation of the expression of several immune genes (Abaecin, Apidaecin, Defensin-1, and PGRP-S2), reduction of Nosema spore loads, and extension of honey bee life span. The results of our studies clearly indicate that silencing the host nkd gene can activate honey bee immune responses, suppress the reproduction of N. ceranae, and improve the overall health of honey bees. This study represents a novel host-derived therapeutic for honey bee disease treatment that merits further exploration. IMPORTANCE Given the critical role of honey bees in the pollination of agricultural crops, it is urgent to develop strategies to prevent the colony decline induced by the infection of parasites/pathogens. Targeting parasites and pathogens directly by RNAi has been proven to be useful for controlling infections in honey bees, but little is known about the disease impacts of RNAi silencing of host factors. Here, we demonstrate that knocking down the honey bee immune repressor-encoding nkd gene can suppress the reproduction of N. ceranae and improve the overall health of honey bees, which highlights the potential role of host-derived and RNAi-based therapeutics in controlling the infections in honey bees. The information obtained from this study will have positive implications for honey bee disease management practices.
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15
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Emsen B, Guzman-Novoa E, Hamiduzzaman MM, Eccles L, Lacey B, Ruiz-Pérez RA, Nasr M. Higher prevalence and levels of Nosema ceranae than Nosema apis infections in Canadian honey bee colonies. Parasitol Res 2015; 115:175-81. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4733-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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16
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Retschnig G, Williams GR, Odemer R, Boltin J, Di Poto C, Mehmann MM, Retschnig P, Winiger P, Rosenkranz P, Neumann P. Effects, but no interactions, of ubiquitous pesticide and parasite stressors on honey bee (Apis mellifera) lifespan and behaviour in a colony environment. Environ Microbiol 2015; 17:4322-31. [PMID: 25728008 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2014] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between pesticides and parasites are believed to be responsible for increased mortality of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in the northern hemisphere. Previous efforts have employed experimental approaches using small groups under laboratory conditions to investigate influence of these stressors on honey bee physiology and behaviour, although both the colony level and field conditions play a key role for eusocial honey bees. Here, we challenged honey bee workers under in vivo colony conditions with sublethal doses of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid, the miticide tau-fluvalinate and the endoparasite Nosema ceranae, to investigate potential effects on longevity and behaviour using observation hives. In contrast to previous laboratory studies, our results do not suggest interactions among stressors, but rather lone effects of pesticides and the parasite on mortality and behaviour, respectively. These effects appear to be weak due to different outcomes at the two study sites, thereby suggesting that the role of thiacloprid, tau-fluvalinate and N. ceranae and interactions among them may have been overemphasized. In the future, investigations into the effects of honey bee stressors should prioritize the use of colonies maintained under a variety of environmental conditions in order to obtain more biologically relevant data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Retschnig
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Geoffrey R Williams
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Richard Odemer
- Apicultural State Institute, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Janina Boltin
- Apicultural State Institute, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Cornelia Di Poto
- Apicultural State Institute, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Marion M Mehmann
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Retschnig
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Pius Winiger
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Rosenkranz
- Apicultural State Institute, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Peter Neumann
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland.,Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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17
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Tozkar CÖ, Kence M, Kence A, Huang Q, Evans JD. Metatranscriptomic analyses of honey bee colonies. Front Genet 2015; 6:100. [PMID: 25852743 PMCID: PMC4365734 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bees face numerous biotic threats from viruses to bacteria, fungi, protists, and mites. Here we describe a thorough analysis of microbes harbored by worker honey bees collected from field colonies in geographically distinct regions of Turkey. Turkey is one of the World's most important centers of apiculture, harboring five subspecies of Apis mellifera L., approximately 20% of the honey bee subspecies in the world. We use deep ILLUMINA-based RNA sequencing to capture RNA species for the honey bee and a sampling of all non-endogenous species carried by bees. After trimming and mapping these reads to the honey bee genome, approximately 10% of the sequences (9–10 million reads per library) remained. These were then mapped to a curated set of public sequences containing ca. Sixty megabase-pairs of sequence representing known microbial species associated with honey bees. Levels of key honey bee pathogens were confirmed using quantitative PCR screens. We contrast microbial matches across different sites in Turkey, showing new country recordings of Lake Sinai virus, two Spiroplasma bacterium species, symbionts Candidatus Schmidhempelia bombi, Frischella perrara, Snodgrassella alvi, Gilliamella apicola, Lactobacillus spp.), neogregarines, and a trypanosome species. By using metagenomic analysis, this study also reveals deep molecular evidence for the presence of bacterial pathogens (Melissococcus plutonius, Paenibacillus larvae), Varroa destructor-1 virus, Sacbrood virus, and fungi. Despite this effort we did not detect KBV, SBPV, Tobacco ringspot virus, VdMLV (Varroa Macula like virus), Acarapis spp., Tropilaeleps spp. and Apocephalus (phorid fly). We discuss possible impacts of management practices and honey bee subspecies on microbial retinues. The described workflow and curated microbial database will be generally useful for microbial surveys of healthy and declining honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cansu Ö Tozkar
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University Ankara, Turkey
| | - Meral Kence
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University Ankara, Turkey
| | - Aykut Kence
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University Ankara, Turkey
| | - Qiang Huang
- Bee Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - Jay D Evans
- Bee Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Beltsville, MD, USA
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18
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Van der Zee R, Gómez-Moracho T, Pisa L, Sagastume S, García-Palencia P, Maside X, Bartolomé C, Martín-Hernández R, Higes M. Virulence and polar tube protein genetic diversity of Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) field isolates from Northern and Southern Europe in honeybees (Apis mellifera iberiensis). ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2014; 6:401-413. [PMID: 24992540 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2013] [Accepted: 12/05/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
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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19
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Presence of Nosema ceranae associated with honeybee queen introductions. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2014; 23:161-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2014.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2013] [Revised: 01/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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20
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Garrido-Bailón E, Higes M, Martínez-Salvador A, Antúnez K, Botías C, Meana A, Prieto L, Martín-Hernández R. The prevalence of the honeybee brood pathogens Ascosphaera apis, Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius in Spanish apiaries determined with a new multiplex PCR assay. Microb Biotechnol 2013; 6:731-9. [PMID: 23919248 PMCID: PMC3815939 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Revised: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The microorganisms Ascosphaera apis, Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius are the three most important pathogens that affect honeybee brood. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of these pathogens in honeybee colonies and to elucidate their role in the honeybee colony losses in Spain. In order to get it, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed to simultaneously amplify the16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene of P. larvae and M. plutonius, and the 5.8S rRNA gene of A. apis. The multiplex PCR assay provides a quick and specific tool that successfully detected the three infectious pathogens (P. larvae, M. plutonius and A. apis) in brood and adult honeybee samples without the need for microbiological culture. This technique was then used to evaluate the prevalence of these pathogens in Spanish honeybee colonies in 2006 and 2007, revealing our results a low prevalence of these pathogens in most of the geographic areas studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Encarna Garrido-Bailón
- Bee Pathology Laboratory, Centro Apícola Regional (CAR), Junta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha, 19180, Marchamalo, Spain
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21
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Higes M, Meana A, Bartolomé C, Botías C, Martín-Hernández R. Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia), a controversial 21st century honey bee pathogen. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2013; 5:17-29. [PMID: 23757127 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2012] [Revised: 12/03/2012] [Accepted: 12/05/2012] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
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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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Higes
- Centro Apícola Regional CAR, Dirección General de la Producción Agropecuaria, Consejería de Agricultura, Junta de Castilla-La Mancha, Spain.
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22
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Gisder S, Genersch E. Molecular differentiation of Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae based on species-specific sequence differences in a protein coding gene. J Invertebr Pathol 2013; 113:1-6. [PMID: 23352902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2013.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2012] [Revised: 12/04/2012] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae are two microsporidian pathogens of the European honey bee, Apis mellifera. There is evidence that N. ceranae is more virulent than N. apis subject to environmental factors like climate. This makes N. ceranae one of the suspects in the increasing colony losses recently observed in many regions of the world. Correct differentiation between N. apis and N. ceranae is important and best accomplished by molecular methods. So far only protocols based on species-specific sequence differences in the 16S rRNA gene are available. However, recent studies indicated that these methods may lead to confusing results due to polymorphisms in and recombination between the multi-copy 16S rRNA genes. To solve this problem and to provide a reliable molecular tool for the differentiation between the two bee pathogenic microsporidia we here present and evaluate a duplex-PCR protocol based on species-specific sequence differences in the highly conserved gene coding for the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II largest subunit. A total of 102 honey bee samples were analyzed by the novel PCR protocol and the results were compared with the results of the originally published PCR-RFLP analysis and two recently published differentiation protocols, based on 16S rRNA sequence differences. Although the novel PCR protocol proved to be as reliable as the 16S rRNA gene based PCR-RFLP it was superior to simple 16S rRNA based PCR protocols which tended to overestimate the rate of N. ceranae infections. Therefore, we propose that species-specific sequence differences of highly conserved protein coding genes should become the preferred molecular tool for differentiation of Nosema spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Gisder
- Institute for Bee Research, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, D-16540 Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
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23
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Mulholland GE, Traver BE, Johnson NG, Fell RD. Individual Variability of Nosema ceranae Infections in Apis mellifera Colonies. INSECTS 2012; 3:1143-55. [PMID: 26466731 PMCID: PMC4553568 DOI: 10.3390/insects3041143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2012] [Revised: 10/15/2012] [Accepted: 10/25/2012] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Since 2006, beekeepers have reported increased losses of Apis mellifera colonies, and one factor that has been potentially implicated in these losses is the microsporidian Nosema ceranae. Since N. ceranae is a fairly recently discovered parasite, there is little knowledge of the variation in infection levels among individual workers within a colony. In this study we examined the levels of infection in individual bees from five colonies over three seasons using both spore counting and quantitative real-time PCR. The results show considerable intra-colony variation in infection intensity among individual workers with a higher percentage of low-level infections detected by PCR than by spore counting. Colonies generally had the highest percentage of infected bees in early summer (June) and the lowest levels in the fall (September). Nosema apis was detected in only 16/705 bees (2.3%) and always as a low-level co-infection with N. ceranae. The results also indicate that intra-colony variation in infection levels could influence the accuracy of Nosema diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E Mulholland
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, 324 Price Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Brenna E Traver
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, 324 Price Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Nels G Johnson
- Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis (LISA), Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, 405 Hutcheson Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Richard D Fell
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, 324 Price Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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24
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Nosema ceranae an emergent pathogen of Apis mellifera in Chile. Parasitol Res 2012; 111:601-7. [PMID: 22453498 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-2875-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2012] [Accepted: 02/21/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The microsporidian Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae have been associated with colony disorders of Apis mellifera and Apis cerana, respectively. N. apis is endemic in South America. Recently, N. ceranae has been detected in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. No report of its presence, distribution and prevalence in Chile is available. Here, we present a real-time PCR-based method that was able to discriminate between N. apis and N. ceranae. The dynamic range of this assay was 100 to 100,000 spores per honeybee. False-negative results were avoided due to the use of ACTIN gene as internal standard. False-positive results were obtained neither in experimentally nor in naturally contaminated samples. Using this method, we screened 240 beehives from the Chilean region where 42% of the total country honey production take places (Región del Biobío). Nosema spp. were detected in the four provinces and in 20 of the 26 communes of the region. Among the samples analysed, 49% were positive for N. ceranae. Their infection level ranged from 200 to more than 100,000 spores per honeybee. N. apis was not detected in this region. Hence, our data show that in Chile N. ceranae is an emergent pathogen that is been replacing N. apis. Also, they support that N. ceranae maybe the actual responsible for nosemosis in A. mellifera in South America.
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25
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Botías C, Anderson DL, Meana A, Garrido-Bailón E, Martín-Hernández R, Higes M. Further evidence of an oriental origin for Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia: Nosematidae). J Invertebr Pathol 2012; 110:108-13. [PMID: 22425522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2012.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2011] [Revised: 02/25/2012] [Accepted: 02/29/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Although Nosema ceranae was first isolated from the Asian honeybee (Apis cerana) in Asia and then subsequently recognized as a widespread gut parasite of the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera), its origins and primary host are yet to be accurately established. In this study we examined the possibility of an Asian origin for the parasite by looking for evidence of its ongoing spread out of Asia. To do this, we surveyed for the presence of N. ceranae in A. cerana and A. mellifera on isolated islands of the Solomon Islands (Pacific region), most of which were inhabited with A. mellifera that had been introduced from Australia and New Zealand at a time when N. ceranae was not present in either country, but on which some had also recently become inhabited with invasive A. cerana that originated from Asia with no prior history of contact with A. mellifera infected with N. ceranae. We also sought to verify previous findings that N. ceranae was widespread in Asian honeybees by surveying for its presence in isolated populations of the Asian honeybees, A. cerana, A. koschevnikovi, A. nigrocincta and A. florea. We obtained evidence that A. cerana introduced N. ceranae to A. mellifera in the Solomon Islands and also confirmed the widespread occurrence of the parasite in Asian honeybees, even reporting it for the first time in A. koschevnikovi from Borneo. Our findings provide further support for the hypothesis that N. ceranae has only recently emerged from Asia to become a parasite of A. mellifera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Botías
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro Apícola Regional, CAR, Dirección General de la Producción Agropecuaria, Consejería de Agricultura, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain.
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26
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Martín-Hernández R, Botías C, Bailón EG, Martínez-Salvador A, Prieto L, Meana A, Higes M. Microsporidia infecting Apis mellifera: coexistence or competition. Is Nosema ceranae replacing Nosema apis? Environ Microbiol 2011; 14:2127-38. [PMID: 22176602 DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02645.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Nosema ceranae has been suggested to be replacing Nosema apis in some populations of Apis mellifera honeybees. However, this replacement from one to the other is not supported when studying the distribution and prevalence of both microsporidia in professional apiaries in Spanish territories (transverse study), their seasonal pattern in experimental hives with co-infection or their prevalence at individual level (either in worker bees or drones). Nevertheless, N.ceranae has shown to present a higher prevalence at all the studied levels that could indicate any advantage for its development over N.apis or that it is more adapted to Spanish conditions. Also, both microsporidia show a different pattern of preference for its development according to the prevalence in the different Spanish bioclimatic belts studied. Finally, the fact that all analyses were carried out using an Internal PCR Control (IPC) newly developed guarantees the confidence of the data extracted from the PCR analyses. This IPC provides a useful tool for laboratory detection of honeybee pathogens.
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27
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The growing prevalence of Nosema ceranae in honey bees in Spain, an emerging problem for the last decade. Res Vet Sci 2011; 93:150-5. [PMID: 21906767 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2011.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2011] [Revised: 08/07/2011] [Accepted: 08/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Microsporidiosis caused by infection with Nosema apis or Nosema ceranae has become one of the most widespread diseases of honey bees and can cause important economic losses for beekeepers. Honey can be contaminated by spores of both species and it has been reported as a suitable matrix to study the field prevalence of other honey bee sporulated pathogens. Historical honey sample collections from the CAR laboratory (Centro Apícola Regional) were analyzed by PCR to identify the earliest instance of emergence, and to determine whether the presence of Nosema spp. in honey was linked to the spread of these microsporidia in honey bee apiaries. A total of 240 frozen honey samples were analyzed by PCR and the results compared with rates of Nosema spp. infection in worker bee samples from different years and geographical areas. The presence of Nosema spp. in hive-stored honey from naturally infected honey bee colonies (from an experimental apiary) was also monitored, and although collected honey bees resulted in a more suitable sample to study the presence of microsporidian parasites in the colonies, a high probability of finding Nosema spp. in their hive-stored honey was observed. The first honey sample in which N. ceranae was detected dates back to the year 2000. In subsequent years, the number of samples containing N. ceranae tended to increase, as did the detection of Nosema spp. in adult worker bees. The presence of N. ceranae as early as 2000, long before generalized bee depopulation and colony losses in 2004 may be consistent with a long incubation period for nosemosis type C or related with other unknown factors. The current prevalence of nosemosis, primarily due to N. ceranae, has reached epidemic levels in Spain as confirmed by the analysis of worker honey bees and commercial honey.
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