title: Permanent prevalence of Nosema ceranae in honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Hungary.
abstract: Nosema ceranae is present in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies worldwide. Studies on the comparative virulence of N. ceranae and N. apis showed significant differences in individual mortality, and the prevalence of N. ceranae seems to be predominant in both the continental and the Mediterranean climate regions. This study attempted to monitor the geographical and seasonal distribution of these two Nosema species in Hungary, using a simple laboratory method. The distribution of N. ceranae and N. apis infection rates along all seasons was homogeneous (P = 0.57). In co-infected samples, the intensity of N. ceranae infection was always significantly higher than that of N. apis infection (P < 0.001). The infection rate of infected bees in exterior samples was higher than in interior samples in each season; however, the differences were not statistically significant. The species N. ceranae had been present in Hungary already in 2004. Statistical analysis of data shows that the infection level is best represented by sampling exterior bees to establish the proportion of infected bees rather than by determining the mean spore count.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University , Páter K. u. 1, H-2013 Gödöllő , Hungary.
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Csáki
authors.affiliation: Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University , Páter K. u. 1, H-2013 Gödöllő , Hungary.
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heltai
authors.affiliation: Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Szent István University , Páter K. u. 1, H-2013 Gödöllő , Hungary.
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Markolt
authors.affiliation: Regional University Center of Excellence in Environmental Industry Szent István University , Gödöllő , Hungary.
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kovács
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Farm Animal Gene Conservation, Institute for Apiculture , Gödöllő , Hungary.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Békési
authors.affiliation: Corvinus University of Budapest , Budapest , Hungary.
authors.forename: Márta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ladányi
authors.affiliation: University of Debrecen , Debrecen , Hungary.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Péntek-Zakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Aránzazu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meana
authors.affiliation: Bee Pathology Laboratory, Centro Apícola Regional, Consejería de Agricultura, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha , Marchamalo , Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Botías
authors.affiliation: Bee Pathology Laboratory, Centro Apícola Regional, Consejería de Agricultura, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha , Marchamalo , Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martín-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Bee Pathology Laboratory, Centro Apícola Regional, Consejería de Agricultura, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha , Marchamalo , Spain.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higes
keywords: Honey bee; Nosema ceranae; multiplex PCR; nosemosis; spore count