Twenty-five-year study of Nosema spp. in honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Serbia

Kazimir Matović; Dejan Vidanović; Marija Manić; Marko Stojiljković; Sonja Radojičić; Zoran Debeljak; Milanko Šekler; Jelena Ćirić

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2019.11.012

Twenty-five-year study of Nosema spp. in honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Serbia

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2020 Jan;27(1):518-523. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2019.11.012. Epub 2019 Nov 21.

Authors

Kazimir Matović¹, Dejan Vidanović¹, Marija Manić², Marko Stojiljković², Sonja Radojičić³, Zoran Debeljak¹, Milanko Šekler¹, Jelena Ćirić⁴

Affiliations

¹ Veterinary Specialized Institute Kraljevo, 34 Zicka Street, 36000 Kraljevo, Serbia.
² Veterinary Specialized Institute Niš, 175, Dimitrija Tucovića, 18000 Niš, Serbia.
³ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Oslobođenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
⁴ Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Kaćanskog 13, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.

Abstract

A total of 7386 samples of adult honey bees from different areas of Serbia (fifteen regions and 79 municipalities) were selected for light microscopy analysis for Nosema species during 1992-2017. A selection of honey bee samples from colonies positive for microsporidian spores during 2009-2011, 2015 and 2017 were then subjected to molecular diagnosis by multiplex PCR using specific primers for a region of the 16S rRNA gene of Nosema species. The prevalence of microsporidian spore-positive bee colonies ranged between 14.4% in 2013 and 65.4% in 1992. PCR results show that Nosema ceranae is not the only Nosema species to infect honey bees in Serbia. Mixed N. apis/N. ceranae infections were detected in the two honey bee samples examined by mPCR during 2017. The beekeeping management of disease prevention, such as replacement of combs and queens and hygienic handling of colonies are useful in the prevention of Nosema infection.

Keywords: Apis mellifera; Nosema apis; Nosema ceranae; Serbia.