Published in Scientific Works. Series C. Veterinary Medicine, Vol. LXIV, Issue 2
Written by Adrian DUMITRU, Gabriela CHIOVEANU, Mariana IONITA, Gheorghe DOBRE, Ioan Liviu MITREA
Nosema spp., a microsporidian parasite (Microspora: Microsporidida), is well known for the negative impact on the bee colony. In areas with temperate climate, the nosemosis’s evolution in the apiary is different from season to season. During spring, when in the hive, due to the consumption of honey and bee bread reserves contaminated with spores, the infectious pressure is increasing, the disease worsens, and there is need for a medical intervention. For this, there is an increasing interest for additional products to control this infection. Therefore, this study aimed to test amprolium hydrochloride 20% (C14H19CIN4), a product which has a structure similar to the B1 vitamin (thiamine) towards which it is a competitive antagonist, for controlling Nosema infection in honey bees. The trial was carried out under laboratory conditions and the microclimate parameters have been monitorized. There were used two experimental modules and one control, each module consisting of two batches of bees naturally infected with Nosema spp., with at least 100 bees (122-185) per batch. The batches have been organized according to the current standards, in wooden cages (with the size of 190/150/50 mm) equipped with window, ventilation mesh and feeder. Throughout the trial, the product has proved to control the development of the parasite so as at an initial infection level of approx. 5,750,000 spores/bee, by the end, in the experimental batches no spores of Nosema spp. were detected. Also, there were not signs for adverse effects on bees. However, additional field and laboratory studies are necessary toward to develop an integrated control program over the bees’ active season.
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