Honey bees with a drinking problem: Potential routes of Nosema ceranae spore transmission

Nosema ceranae is a large contributing factor to the most recent decline in honey bee health worldwide. Developing new alternative treatments against N. ceranae is particularly pressing because there are few treatment options available and therefore the risk of increased antibiotic resistance is quite high. Recently, natural products have demonstrated to be a promising avenue for finding new effective treatments against N. ceranae. We evaluated the effects of propolis extract of stingless bee, Tetrigona apicalis and chito-oligosaccharide (COS) on giant honey bees, Apis dorsata, experimentally infected with N. ceranae to determine if these treatments could improve the health of the infected individuals. Newly emerged Nosema-free bees were individually inoculated with 106N. ceranae spores per bee. We fed infected and control bees the following treatments consisting of 0%, 50%, propolis extracts, 0 ppm and 0.5 ppm COS in honey solution (w/v). Propolis extracts and COS caused a significant increase in trehalose levels in hemolymph, protein contents, survival rates and acini diameters of the hypopharyngeal glands in infected bees. Our results suggest that propolis and COS could improve the health of infected bees. Further research is needed to determine the underlying mechanisms responsible for the improved health of the infected bees.

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Effects of Prebiotics and Probiotics on Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) Infected with the Microsporidian Parasite Nosema ceranae

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9030481 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 481

Author(s):

Daniel Borges ◽

Ernesto Guzman-Novoa ◽

Paul H. Goodwin

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Bifidobacterium Bifidum ◽

Nosema Ceranae ◽

Food Supplementation ◽

Microsporidian Parasite ◽

Single Strain ◽

Acacia Gum ◽

Bee Health ◽

Commercial Probiotics

Nosema ceranae is a microsporidian fungus that parasitizes the midgut epithelial cells of honey bees, Apis mellifera. Due to the role that midgut microorganisms play in bee health and immunity, food supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics may assist in the control of N. ceranae. The dietary fiber prebiotics acacia gum, inulin, and fructooligosaccharides, as well as the commercial probiotics Vetafarm Probotic, Protexin Concentrate single-strain (Enterococcus faecium), and Protexin Concentrate multi-strain (Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, L. delbrueckii, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus salivarius, and E. faecium) were tested for their effect on N. ceranae spore loads and honey bee survivorship. Bees kept in cages were inoculated with N. ceranae spores and single-dose treatments were administered in sugar syrup. Acacia gum caused the greatest reduction in N. ceranae spore numbers (67%) but also significantly increased bee mortality (62.2%). However, Protexin Concentrate single-strain gave similarly reduced spore numbers (59%) without affecting the mortality. In a second experiment, multiple doses of the probiotics revealed significantly reduced spore numbers with 2.50 mg/mL Vetafarm Probotic, and 0.25, 1.25, and 2.50 mg/mL Protexin Concentrate single-strain. Mortality was also significantly reduced with 1.25 mg/mL Protexin Concentrate single-strain. N. ceranae-inoculated bees fed 3.75 mg/mL Vetafarm Probotic had higher survival than N. ceranae-inoculated bees, which was similar to that of non-inoculated bees, while N. ceranae-inoculated bees fed 2.50 mg/mL Protexin Concentrate single-strain, had significantly higher survival than both N. ceranae-inoculated and non-inoculated bees. Protexin Concentrate single-strain is promising as it can reduce N. ceranae proliferation and increase bee survivorship of infected bees, even compared to healthy, non-infected bees.

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Effects of Nosema ceranae (Dissociodihaplophasida: Nosematidae) and Flupyradifurone on Olfactory Learning in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Journal of Insect Science ◽

10.1093/jisesa/ieaa130 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Heather Christine Bell ◽

Corina N Montgomery ◽

Jaime E Benavides ◽

James C Nieh

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Learning And Memory ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Food Reward ◽

Nosema Ceranae ◽

Olfactory Conditioning ◽

Agricultural Use ◽

High Doses ◽

Neonicotinoid Pesticides ◽

Term Field

Abstract The health of insect pollinators, particularly the honey bee, Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758), is a major concern for agriculture and ecosystem health. In response to mounting evidence supporting the detrimental effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators, a novel ‘bee safe’ butenolide compound, flupyradifurone (FPF) has been registered for use in agricultural use. Although FPF is not a neonicotinoid, like neonicotinoids, it is an excitotoxic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist. In addition, A. mellifera faces threats from pathogens, such as the microsporidian endoparasite, Nosema ceranae (Fries et al. 1996). We therefore sought 1) to increase our understanding of the potential effects of FPF on honey bees by focusing on a crucial behavior, the ability to learn and remember an odor associated with a food reward, and 2) to test for a potential synergistic effect on such learning by exposure to FPF and infection with N. ceranae. We found little evidence that FPF significantly alters learning and memory at short-term field-realistic doses. However, at high doses and at chronic, field-realistic exposure, FPF did reduce learning and memory in an olfactory conditioning task. Infection with N. ceranae also reduced learning, but there was no synergy (no significant interaction) between N. ceranae and exposure to FPF. These results suggest the importance of continued studies on the chronic effects of FPF.

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Nosema ceranae has been infecting honey bees Apis mellifera in Italy since at least 1993

Journal of Apicultural Research ◽

10.3896/ibra.1.52.2.11 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 52 (2) ◽

pp. 60-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Ezio Ferroglio ◽

Stefania Zanet ◽

Nancy Peraldo ◽

Elisa Tachis ◽

Anna Trisciuoglio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Nosema Ceranae

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Experimental Nosema ceranae infection is associated with microbiome changes in the midguts of four species of Apis (honey bees)

Journal of Apicultural Research ◽

10.1080/00218839.2021.1987086 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Sanchai Naree ◽

James D. Ellis ◽

Mark Eric Benbow ◽

Guntima Suwannapong

Keyword(s):

Honey Bees ◽

Nosema Ceranae

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Antifungal activity of the essential oil obtained from Cryptocarya alba against infection in honey bees by Nosema ceranae

Journal of Invertebrate Pathology ◽

10.1016/j.jip.2017.08.012 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 149 ◽

pp. 141-147 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

J. Bravo ◽

V. Carbonell ◽

B. Sepúlveda ◽

C. Delporte ◽

C.E. Valdovinos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antifungal Activity ◽

Essential Oil ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Nosema Ceranae

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Permanent prevalence of Nosema ceranae in honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Hungary

Acta Veterinaria Hungarica ◽

10.1556/004.2015.034 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 63 (3) ◽

pp. 358-369 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tamás Csáki ◽

Miklós Heltai ◽

Ferenc Markolt ◽

Balázs Kovács ◽

László Békési ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Mediterranean Climate ◽

Laboratory Method ◽

Seasonal Distribution ◽

Nosema Ceranae ◽

Infection Rates ◽

Infection Level ◽

Spore Count ◽

The Mean

Nosema ceranae is present in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies worldwide. Studies on the comparative virulence of N. ceranae and N. apis showed significant differences in individual mortality, and the prevalence of N. ceranae seems to be predominant in both the continental and the Mediterranean climate regions. This study attempted to monitor the geographical and seasonal distribution of these two Nosema species in Hungary, using a simple laboratory method. The distribution of N. ceranae and N. apis infection rates along all seasons was homogeneous (P = 0.57). In co-infected samples, the intensity of N. ceranae infection was always significantly higher than that of N. apis infection (P < 0.001). The infection rate of infected bees in exterior samples was higher than in interior samples in each season; however, the differences were not statistically significant. The species N. ceranae had been present in Hungary already in 2004. Statistical analysis of data shows that the infection level is best represented by sampling exterior bees to establish the proportion of infected bees rather than by determining the mean spore count.

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Age and Method of Inoculation Influence the Infection of Worker Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) by Nosema ceranae

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects10120417 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 417 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Almudena Urbieta-Magro ◽

Mariano Higes ◽

Aránzazu Meana ◽

Laura Barrios ◽

Raquel Martín-Hernández

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Parasite Load ◽

Nosema Ceranae ◽

Microsporidian Parasite ◽

Age Cohort ◽

Group A ◽

Time Of Infection ◽

Group B ◽

The Individual

The microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae is a highly prevalent, global honey bee pathogen. Apis mellifera is considered to be a relatively recent host for this microsporidia, which raises questions as to how it affects its host’s physiology, behavior and longevity, both at the individual and colony level. As such, honey bees were inoculated with fresh purified spores of this pathogen, both individually (Group A) or collectively (Group B) and they were studied from 0 to 15 days post-emergence (p.e.) to evaluate the effect of bee age and the method of inoculation at 7 days post-infection. The level of infection was analyzed individually by qPCR by measuring the relative amount of the N. ceranae polar tubule protein 3 (PTP3) gene. The results show that the bee’s age and the method of infection directly influence parasite load, and thus, early disease development. Significant differences were found regarding bee age at the time of infection, whereby the youngest bees (new-born and 1 day p.e.) developed the highest parasite load, with this load decreasing dramatically in bees infected at 2 days p.e. before increasing again in bees infected at 3–4 days p.e. The parasite load in bees infected when older than 4 days p.e. diminished as they aged. When the age cohort data was pooled and grouped according to the method of infection, a significantly higher mean concentration and lower variation in N. ceranae infection was evident in Group A, indicating greater variation in experimental infection when spores were administered collectively to bees through their food. In summary, these data indicate that both biological and experimental factors should be taken into consideration when comparing data published in the literature.

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