Case Report: “Killer Bee” Swarm Attacks in French Guiana: The Importance of Prompt Care

In French Guiana, a French overseas region partly located in the Amazon, “Africanized” bees, a hybrid species of Brazilian bees known as “killer bees,” have been observed since 1975. Since then, several cases requiring long hospitalization times have been described, allowing for a better understanding of the physiopathological mechanisms of this particular envenomation. Here, we report on a series of 10 cases of patients simultaneously attacked by hundreds of killer bees and immediately treated by a prehospital medical team already on site. Between 75 and 650 stingers were removed per victim. The reference treatment for anaphylaxis using intramuscular injection of epinephrine, vascular filling, and oxygen therapy was administered to all patients without delay. A clinical description was provided, and biological tests were performed immediately after the envenomation. We therefore observe the existence of a two-phase, medically well-controlled systemic toxic reaction. Thus, all our patients left the hospital after 44 hours of monitoring with no complications or sequelae, despite levels of intoxication described as potentially fatal elsewhere in the literature.

Chemical Composition of Volatile Compounds in Apis mellifera Propolis from the Northeast Region of Pará State, Brazil

Propolis is a balsamic product obtained from vegetable resins by exotic Africanized bees Apis mellifera L., transported and processed by them, originating from the activity that explores and maintains these individuals. Because of its vegetable and natural origins, propolis is a complex mixture of different compound classes; among them are the volatile compounds present in the aroma. In this sense, in the present study we evaluated the volatile fraction of propolis present in the aroma obtained by distillation and simultaneous extraction, and its chemical composition was determined using coupled gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and flame ionization detection. The majority of compounds were sesquiterpene and hydrocarbons, comprising 8.2–22.19% α-copaene and 6.2–21.7% β-caryophyllene, with additional compounds identified in greater concentrations. Multivariate analysis showed that samples collected from one region may have different chemical compositions, which may be related to the location of the resin’s production. This may be related to other bee products.

Effect of extracts of amazonian bee propolis on Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. passiflorae in the State of Pará-Brazil

The yellow passionfruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarcarpa Deg.) is important culture in Brazilian Amazon agriculture, especially in the state of Pará. But its cultivation has been suffering the reduction of its areas and productivity due the diseases caused by bacteria, where chemical control, sometimes does not present the expected results. The propolis of Africanized bees (Apis mellifera L.) is an important natural antibiotic for the control of undesirable microorganisms of plants and animals. The present work aimed at the in vitro study of the antibiotic activity of different propolis extracts of Africanized bees from two different locations in the state of Pará in the agent that causes the passionfruit bacterial blight (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. passiflorae). A factorial analysis of three factors was performed: origin X solvent X concentration. It was verified that the concentrations of 0.5% were statistically superior to the others, with average growth inhibition power of 86%, and the propolis extract from an apiary in Santa Izabel do Pará, Pará, Brazil, obtained in ethanol at 80%, was statistically different and superior for the inhibitory effect of the growth of colony forming units (CFU) of X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae.

Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) Does Not Cause Collapse of Colonies of Africanized Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Tropical Climate

Nosemosis is an important disease that affects honey bees (Apis mellifera Lineu), caused by obligate intracellular parasites, Nosema apis and/or Nosema ceranae. Since the initial detection of N. ceranae in A. mellifera coincided with recent large-scale losses of bee colonies worldwide, the impacts of this parasite under field conditions are of great interest. Here we test two hypotheses, the first one, whether the climatic variables (temperature, air humidity and precipitation) influence the intensity of infection of the microsporidium Nosema spp. in Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera), and the second, whether the local of hive installation (outdoor or roofed) influences the intensity of infection of these spores in Africanized honey bees. Between August 2013 and August 2016, samples of Africanized bees were collected weekly from 20 colonies, of which ten were located in an open area (outdoor apiary) and ten under a roof on a concrete floor (roofed apiary). N. ceranae was the only species present. The type of apiary did not influence (p > 0.05) the number of spores of N. ceranae in Africanized bees. However, the infection intensities of the roofed apiary colonies were lower in the autumn. Regarding the meteorological parameters, there was a negative correlation between the winter infection intensities and the minimum temperature in the roofed apiary and the humidity in the outdoor apiary. The highest infection intensities occurred in both apiaries in the spring and summer, which may be related to higher pollen production. On average, the infection intensity was 16.19 ± 15.81 x 105, ranging from zero to 100.5 x105, and there were no records of collapse during the three years.

Bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential of honey produced by africanized bees (Apis mellifera L.) in Piauí

This work evaluated the bioactive compounds and the antioxidant potential of honey produced by Africanized bees (Apis mellifera L.) in the state of Piauí, Brazil. The analyses show that all honeys investigatedpresented features of the pollen type Mimosa caesalpiniifolia. The content of phenolic compounds ranged from 27.65 to 97.01 mg in GAE g-1 of honey, with an average content of 62.66 ± 20.46 mgEAG g-1 of honey. The total flavonoid contents expressed in mg of quercentin/g of honey ranged from 5.43 to 13.02 mg of QE g-1, with an average of 8.33 ± 1.86 mg of QE g-1 of honey. The best performance of antioxidant activity by reducing power was EC50 of 0.15 and the lowest performance of antioxidant activity with IC50 was 1.24. The highest antioxidant activity (DPPH) ranged from 66.11 ± 0.02mg EAQ 100g-1, while the lowest activities were 9.16 and 10.88 mg EAQ 100g-1. The results show that the contents of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, DPPH antioxidant activity, and the pollen-reducing power from Piauí were influenced by botanical origin.

Toxicity of the macerated of white and purple jurubeba flowers about bees Apismelliferas in sertao paraibano - Brazil

There are secondary components of the nectar or the pollen in some vegetal species, to can be toxics or repellentsfor their pollinators. Thus, this work had for objective to study the effects from toxicity of differents concentrationsof macerated flowers of purpleJurubebaandwhite Jurubeba, as feeding of Africanized bees in a controlled environment.Therefore, wererealizedbioassays at the Laboratory of Entomology of the Federal University of Campina Grande, Campus ofPombal.It was used dried and crushed flowers of the Chamber and leaddy. The powder of the flowers was weighed in three different fractions (0,25%, 0,50% e 1,0%) and added to the candyandwater. The newly emerged workers were distributed togetherof 20 insects for wood boxmeasuring 11cm in length by 11cm in width and 7cm in height, in three replicates and control, making up 12 boxes and 240 worker bees, were packaged in B. O. D with temperature adjusted to 32º C andhumidity of 70 %. The control group received only candy and water. In view of the results obtained with the research, observed that the bees of the control remained alive until the 25 days reaching a statistical average of 20 days and for those treated with 0,25%, 0,50% e 1,0% respectively, presented mortality in the 20th, 18th e 13th day for bees fed with Solanum paniculatum L.For bees fed Solanum albidum Dun, observed that the bees of the control remain alive up to the 21 days reaching a statistical average of 18 days and for those treated with 0,25%, 0,50% and 1,0% respectively, presented mortality in the 17th, 13th e 12th day.The data analysis showed statistically significant differences between treatments and control, suggesting the toxic effect of the macerate obtained from Solanum paniculatum LandSolanum albidum Dunfor Africanized bees workersApismellifera. Thus, can be concluded with the accomplishment of this work that:The bees control remained alive until the 25thand 21th dayrespectively, by treatments with Solanum paniculatum L.andSolanum albidum Dun; The treated beeswith the concentrations 0,25%, 0,50% and 1,0% of macerated flowers Solanum paniculatum L, respectively, presented mortality to the 20th, 18thand 13thday; The treated bees with the concentrations 0,25%, 0,50% and 1,0% of macerated flowers Solanum albidum Dun, respectively, presented mortality to the 17th, 13thand 12th day; Flowers of Solanum paniculatum L. andSolanum albidum Dunpresented toxicity to Apismelíferaunder controlled ambient conditions