First Identification of Nosema Ceranae (Microsporidia) Infecting Apis Mellifera in Venezuela

PORRINI, LEONARDO P.; PORRINI, MARTIN P.; GARRIDO, PAULA M.; PRINCIPAL, JUDITH; SUAREZ, CARLOS J. BARRIOS; BIANCHI, BRIGITTE; IRIARTE, PEDRO J. FERNANDEZ; EGUARAS, MARTÍN J.

Journal of Apicultural Science

Research Institut of Pomology and Floriculture

Año: 2017 vol. 61

Nosema ceranae is a pathogen of Apis mellifera, which seems to have jumped from itsoriginal host Asiatic honey bee Apis ceranae. Nosemosis which affects the honey beeApis mellifera is caused by two parasitic fungi described as etiologic agents of the disease.Nosema apis was the only microsporidian infection identified in A. mellifera untilN. ceranae in Taiwan and Europe. Nosema spp. positive samples of adult worker bees fromthe Venezuelean state of Lara were determined through light microscopy of spores. Sampleswere then tested to determine Nosema species (N.apis/N.ceranae) using previouslyreported PCR primers for the 16S rRNA gene. A multiplex PCR assay was used to differentiateboth N. apis and N. ceranae species. Only N. ceranae was found in the analyzedsamples and the percentage of infected foragers fluctuated between 18% and 60%.