title: Effect of oxalic acid on Nosema ceranae infection.
abstract: Nosema ceranae is a honey bee pathogen parasitizing the ventricular epithelium and potentially causing colony death. The effect of 0.25 M oxalic acid solution administered to the bees in the form of sugar syrup was determined in laboratory and field trials. The spore numbers in an 8-day laboratory experiment were significantly lower when AO was administered (treated: 11.86 ± 0.94 s.e. × 10^6; untreated: 30.64 ± 0.31 s.e.x10^6). When administered in autumn to free flying colonies twice, 3 weeks apart, the infection prevalence decreased in young (relative reduction of 53.8% ± 6.5 s.e.) and old bees (relative reduction of 44.4% ± 6.0 s.e.). Meanwhile increased prevalence in all the controls was detected (young and old bees: relative increase of 45.7% ± 22.8 s.e. and 10.2% ± 5.9 s.e., respectively). While all the treated colonies overwintered correctly, the untreated ones did not (3 out of 5 were dead). In the absence of commercial products approved in several countries to control nosemosis, oxalic acid syrup appears promising in the development of alternative management strategies.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria, Unità di Ricerca di Apicoltura e Bachicoltura, CREA-API, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: antonio.nanetti@entecra.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nanetti
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro Apícola Regional, Consejería de Agricultura, JCCM, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain. Electronic address: crodriguezgarcia@externas.jccm.es.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-García
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: ameana@ucm.es.
authors.forename: Aránzazu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meana
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro Apícola Regional, Consejería de Agricultura, JCCM, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Albacete, Spain. Electronic address: rmhernandez@jccm.es.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martín-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro Apícola Regional, Consejería de Agricultura, JCCM, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain. Electronic address: mhiges@jccm.es.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000382:microbiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D016818:Nosema; D019815:Oxalic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D019815:Oxalic Acid
keywords: Apis mellifera; Control; Nosema ceranae; Organic apiculture; Oxalic acid; Prevalence