Veterinary Sciences (Jun 2022)

Colonisation Patterns of <i>Nosema ceranae</i> in the Azores Archipelago

  • Ana Rita Lopes,
  • Raquel Martín-Hernández,
  • Mariano Higes,
  • Sara Kafafi Segura,
  • Dora Henriques,
  • Maria Alice Pinto

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9070320
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 7
p. 320

Abstract

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Nosema ceranae is a highly prevalent pathogen of Apis mellifera, which is distributed worldwide. However, there may still exist isolated areas that remain free of N. ceranae. Herein, we used molecular tools to survey the Azores to detect N. ceranae and unravel its colonisation patterns. To that end, we sampled 474 colonies from eight islands in 2014/2015 and 91 from four islands in 2020. The findings revealed that N. ceranae was not only present but also the dominant species in the Azores. In 2014/2015, N. apis was rare and N. ceranae prevalence varied between 2.7% in São Jorge and 50.7% in Pico. In 2020, N. ceranae prevalence increased significantly (p N. ceranae colonised the archipelago recently, and it rapidly spread across other islands, where at least two independent introductions might have occurred. Flores and Santa Maria have escaped the N. ceranae invasion, and it is remarkable that Santa Maria is also free of Varroa destructor, which makes it one of the last places in Europe where the honey bee remains naive to these two major biotic stressors.

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