Presence of Nosema ceranae in honeybees (Apis mellifera) in Uruguay.
The microsporidium Nosema ceranae is an emergent pathogen of European honeybees Apis mellifera. Using a PCR-RFLP diagnosis, 29 samples of infected honeybees obtained in 2007-2008 (N=26), 2004 (N=2) and before 1990 (N=1) were analyzed for the presence of Nosema apis and N. ceranae. Only N. ceranae was found in all samples, indicating that this species dispersed to Uruguay (and likely the region) at some time before 1990. The presence of N. ceranae in Uruguay is not associated with an increase of Nosemosis, and its role in colony loss seems to be irrelevant.
Invernizzi
Ciro
C
Facultad de Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay. ciro@fcien.edu.uy
Abud
Carolina
C
Tomasco
Ivanna H
IH
Harriet
Jorge
J
Ramallo
Gustavo
G
Campá
Juan
J
Katz
Helena
H
Gardiol
Gabriela
G
Mendoza
Yamandú
Y
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000382:microbiology*; D005843:Geography; D016818:Nosema / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D014583:Uruguay