Nosema ceranae

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Nosema ceranae
Scientific classification
Class: Dihaplophasea Order: Dissociodihaplophasida Suborder: Nosematiodea Family: Nosimatidae Genus: Nosema Species: Nosema ceranae
Scientific name
Nosema ceranae
Fries et al., 1996

Nosema ceranae is a microsporidian, a small, unicellular parasite that mainly affects Apis cerana, or the Asiatic honey bee. It may causes nosemosis, also called nosema, see Nosema apis which is the most widespread of the adult honey bee diseases. The dormant stage of nosema is a long lived spore which is resistant to temperature extremes and dehydration.

Nosema ceranae was first identified in 1996 and was identified as a disease of Apis mellifera in 2004 in Spain.

In 2004 Spain analysed more than 3000 samples of Apis mellifera. Most samples studied were sent from colonies suffering unexpected decreases in bee population per hive (from hives that were suffering from what what could be colony collapse syndrome/disorder (CCD)) or lower honey production as reported by the beekeepers during the last two/three years. 90% of samples had positive results for N. ceranae. In 2005 on 800 samples, 97% had positive results. During 2006 both France and Germany have detected the disease and recognised the genetic sequence of Nosema ceranae in their respective territories.

N. ceranae and N. apis have similar life cycles, but they differ in spore morphology. Spores of N. ceranae seem to be slightly smaller under the light microscope and the number of polar filament coils is between 20 and 23, rather than the more than 30 often seen in N. apis.

The disease inflicts adult bees and depopulation occurs with consequent losses in honey production. One does not detect symptoms of diarrea like in Nosema apis.

Without doubt, the most significant between the two types is just how quickly N. ceranae can cause a colony to collapse. Bees die within 8 days after exposure to N. ceranae which is faster than bees exposed to N. apis. The foraging force seems to be affected the most. They leave the colony and are too weak to return, therefore die in the field. This leaves behind a small cluster and a weak colony. There is little advice on treatment but it has been suggested that he most effective control of Nosema ceranae is the antibiotic fumagillin as recommended for Nosema apis.

[edit] References

• Nosema ceranae, a new microsporidian parasite in honeybees in Europe

Mariano Higes (a), Raquel Martín (a), Aránzazu Meana (b)
a.Centro Apícola Regional, Consejería de Agricultura, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, 19180 Guadalajara, Spain
b Dpto. Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain 

http://www.sciencedirect.com

• Higes, Mariano; u. a.: El Síndrome de Despoblamiento de las Colmenas en España (The bee dying syndrome in Spain). In: Vida Apícola 133 (September/Oktober 2005), 15-21 (Montagud Editores, Barcelona, Spanien).
• Higes, Mariano; u. a.: Nosema ceranae, a new microsporidian parasite in honeybees in Europe. In: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 91 (2006) (Elsevier).
• Huang, Wei-Fone; u. a.: Complete rRNA Sequence of the Nosema ceranae from honeybee (Apis mellifera). National Taiwan University, Taipeh 2005.
• Ritter, Wolfgang, (CVUA Freiburg): Nosema ceranae. Asiatischer Nosema-Erreger festgestellt. Neu verbreitet oder erst jetzt entdeckt (Asian nosema pathogene diagnosed. Newly distributed or only lately discovered)? ADIZ, die Biene, der Imkerfreund (Zeitschrift der Landesverbände) 3/2006, S. 7 (Online auf der Website des Landesverbandes Schleswig-Holsteinischer und Hamburger Imker e.V.).
• http://www.ento.psu.edu/MAAREC/pressreleases/FallDwindleUpdate0107.pdf