Monitoreo nacional de la nosemosis - resultados previos del proyecto portugal, apicultura y nosema

Abstract

Considering the growing number of reports implicating Nosema ceranae in colony morbidity/mortality, it is relevant to clarify the current epidemiology of Nosemosis in Portugal beekeeping context, pinpointing the etiologic agents to the species level and, eventually, identifying possible intra-specific types. About 2% of the registered Portuguese apiaries were sampled in two consecutive years (2011 and 2012). Apiaries were grouped according to their Nosema status (presence or absence of Nosema spores) by light microscopy methodology. Preliminary research of Nosema in samples collected at national level in the autumn of 2011, it becomes the objective of the present study. Laboratory diagnosis made by optical microscopy revealed the prevalence of nosemosis, but also other adult bee diseases, such as, varroosis, acarapidosis and apimyiasis. The results show the presence of the pathogen Nosema spp. in all regions of mainland Portugal and that, its prevalence is higher in the North, Centre and Alentejo regions. The varroosis presented a lower prevalence at the Algarve (5.0%) comparatively to all other regions of mainland Portugal. Regarding the acarapidosis disease, only one case was diagnosed in the central region of Portugal (sub-region Dão-Lafões).