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Prevalence and seasonality of Nosema species in Québec honey bees

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 July 2012

T.R. Copley ,
H. Chen ,
P. Giovenazzo ,
E. Houle  and
S.H. Jabaji
T.R. Copley
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X 3V9
H. Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X 3V9
P. Giovenazzo
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
E. Houle
Affiliation:
Centre de recherche en science animale de Deschambault, Deschambault, Quebec, Canada
S.H. Jabaji*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X 3V9
*
1Corresponding author (e-mail: suha.jabaji@mcgill.ca).
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Abstract

Nosemosis is a disease of adult honey bees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), caused by two described species of Microsporidia: Nosema ceranae Fries and Nosema apis Zander. The epidemiology of N. apis is well understood; however, little is known about N. ceranae in Canadian apiaries. The following study aimed to determine the seasonal patterns of N. ceranae and N. apis in European honey bees in a Québec, Canada, apiary. Honey bees from six hives were sampled from 2008 to 2010 and the amount of spores quantified by both microscopic spore counts and duplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results demonstrated that duplex qPCR was the most sensitive technique and was able to detect N. ceranae in samples confirmed negative for microscopic spore counts and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection. Results show that N. ceranae is the more prevalent parasite and was present in 75% of collections as single or mixed infections in the sampled apiary. The prevalence of N. apis was lower representing 29.7% throughout the 3 years of the study, and by 2010 was present only as mixed infections. Seasonal patterns of N. apis were consistent with previously published data with peaks in spring and autumn months, while N. ceranae peak infections varied throughout the 3-year study.

Résumé

La nosémose est une maladie des abeilles domestiques, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) causée par deux espèces de Microsporidia: Nosema ceranae Fries et Nosema apis Zander. L′épidémiologie de N. apis est bien étudiée, mais très peu est connu de l′épidémiologie de N. ceranae au Canada. Cette étude vise à déterminer les tendances saisonnières de N. ceranae et N. apis dans les abeilles d'un rucher au Québec, Canada. Des abeilles de six ruches ont été échantillonnées entre 2008 et 2010 et la quantité de spores a été quantifiée par des méthodes microscopiques et duplex de qPCR. Les résultats ont démontré que le duplex de qPCR était plus sensible que les méthodes microscopiques et était capable de détecter N. ceranae dans des échantillons qui ont été confirmés négatifs par les méthodes microscopiques. Les résultats ont aussi démontré que N. ceranae est plus répandu que N. apis et est présent dans 75% des échantillons dans le rucher examiné. Nosema apis est moins répandu avec seulement 29.7% des échantillons et était présent en 2010 seulement en tant que co-infections. Les tendances saisonnières de N. apis sont cohérentes avec des données déjà publiées avec des pics au printemps et en automne, cependant les pics de N. ceranae ont été variés pendant la durée de l′étude.

Type
Original Article
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 144 , Issue 4 , 03 August 2012 , pp. 577 - 588
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 2012

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