Effects of stingless bee propolis on Nosema ceranae infected Asian honey bees, Apis cerana

Abstract The microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae and neonicotinoid insecticides affect the health of honey bees (Apis mellifera). However, there is limited information about the effect of these stressors on other pollinators such as stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Meliponini). We examined the separate and combined effects of N. ceranae and the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam at field-exposure levels on the survivorship and cellular immunity (hemocyte concentration) of the stingless bee Melipona colimana. Newly-emerged bees were subjected to four treatments provided in sucrose syrup: N. ceranae spores, thiamethoxam, thiamethoxam and N. ceranae, and control (bees receiving only syrup). N. ceranae developed infections of > 467,000 spores/bee in the group treated with spores only. However, in the bees subjected to both stressors, infections were < 143,000 spores/bee, likely due to an inhibitory effect of thiamethoxam on the microsporidium. N. ceranae infections did not affect bee survivorship, but thiamethoxam plus N. ceranae significantly increased mortality. Hemocyte counts were significantly lower in N. ceranae infected-bees than in the other treatments. These results suggest that N. ceranae may infect, proliferate and cause cellular immunosuppression in stingless bees, that exposure to sublethal thiamethoxam concentrations is toxic to M. colimana when infected with N. ceranae, and that thiamethoxam restrains N. ceranae proliferation. These findings have implications on pollinators’ conservation.

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Propolis Extract and Chitosan Improve Health of Nosema ceranae Infected Giant Honey Bees, Apis dorsata Fabricius, 1793

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10070785 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 785

Author(s):

Sanchai Naree ◽

Rujira Ponkit ◽

Evada Chotiaroonrat ◽

Christopher L. Mayack ◽

Guntima Suwannapong

Keyword(s):

Honey Bees ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Nosema Ceranae ◽

Apis Dorsata ◽

Propolis Extract ◽

Bee Health ◽

Honey Bee Health ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Honey Solution

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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Antiviral Activities of a Medicinal Plant Extract Against Sacbrood Virus in Honeybees

Virology Journal ◽

10.1186/s12985-021-01550-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Liping Sun ◽

Xueqi Zhang ◽

Shufa Xu ◽

Chunsheng Hou ◽

Jin Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bees ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Larval Growth ◽

Antiviral Agent ◽

Antiviral Effect ◽

Absolute Quantification ◽

Chinese Medicinal Herb ◽

Sacbrood Virus ◽

Antiviral Activities ◽

Potential Strategy

Abstract Background Sacbrood is an infectious disease of the honey bee caused by Scbrood virus (SBV) which belongs to the family Iflaviridae and is especially lethal for Asian honeybee Apis cerana. Chinese Sacbrood virus (CSBV) is a geographic strain of SBV. Currently, there is a lack of an effective antiviral agent for controlling CSBV infection in honey bees. Methods Here, we explored the antiviral effect of a Chinese medicinal herb Radix isatidis on CSBV infection in A. cerana by inoculating the 3rd instar larvae with purified CSBV and treating the infected bee larvae with R. isatidis extract at the same time. The growth, development, and survival of larvae between the control and treatment groups were compared. The CSBV copy number at the 4th instar, 5th instar, and 6th instar larvae was measured by the absolute quantification PCR method. Results Bioassays revealed that R. isatidis extract significantly inhibited the replication of CSBV, mitigated the impacts of CSBV on larval growth and development, reduced the mortality of CSBV-infected A. cerana larvae, and modulated the expression of immune transcripts in infected bees. Conclusion Although the mechanism underlying the inhibition of CSBV replication by the medicine plant will require further investigation, this study demonstrated the antiviral activity of R. isatidis extract and provides a potential strategy for controlling SBV infection in honey 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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Dynamics of Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae Co-Infection Seasonally in Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Colonies

Journal of Apicultural Science ◽

10.2478/jas-2019-0001 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

pp. 41-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Asli Özkırım ◽

Aygün Schiesser ◽

Nevіn Keskin

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Winter Season ◽

Nosema Ceranae ◽

Molecular Techniques ◽

Winter Period ◽

Nosema Apis ◽

Infection Level ◽

Seasonal Infection ◽

Asian Honeybee

AbstractNosema apis is a pathogen spesific for the European honeybee, Apis mellifera L., while Nosema ceranae is specific for the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana. Turkey provides different environmental and host conditions for both Nosema species. The aim of the study is to determine the dynamic of N. cerenae and N. apis seasonal infection. A number of samples were collected from different apiaries between 2009-2016 years. The samples were kept at −20°C in the laboratory. Light microscopy was used for spore counting and molecular techniques were used to identify the Nosema species. The results showed that winter season had an impact on the type of Nosema as well as on infection rates. The number of N. ceranae spores decreases significantly at low temperatures (≤ 5°C). The winter period was found to be the main factor affecting nosema infection level and dominancy of Nosema ceranae. Furthermore, co-infection of both species is an indicator of the dynamics of N. apis and N. ceranae. This study suggests, that there is a dynamic prevalence among the Nosema species depending of the average winter temperature and not a replacement of N. apis by N. ceranae.

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