Vairimorpha infections in endemic Moroccan honeybees: A cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30972/vet.3628426Keywords:
Apis mellifera intermissa, Apis mellifera sahariensis, Moroccan honeybee, Nosema spores counting, Vairimorpha apis, Vairimorpha ceranaeAbstract
Biodiversity and food security on Earth would be impossible without the contribution of animal and insect pollinators, with the honeybee (Apis mellifera) being the primary agent. However, the distribution and diversity of these insect populations, particularly native species, are increasingly threatened by various biotic and abiotic stressors, which contribute to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in apiaries worldwide. A microsporidian fungus of the genus Vairimorpha (formerly Nosema)) that infects the insect gut causes the disease known as nosemosis, which is among the biotic factors potentially associated with CCD. In this study, we examined 206 samples from various apiaries in the Souss-Massa region of Morocco to assess the epidemiological status of this parasitosis in Moroccan honeybees. Spore detection and quantification of Vairimorpha spp. were performed using microscopy, while molecular techniques were employed to differentiate Vairimorpha apis from Vairimorpha ceranae. The microscopic analysis revealed a prevalence rate of 78.6%, a mean abundance of 7×105 spores/bee/apiary, and a mean infection intensity of 9×105 spores/bee/apiary. Molecular analysis indicated that V. ceranae is more prevalent than V. apis. Consequently, as observed in many other regions worldwide, V. ceranae has become invasive in native Moroccan honeybees populations, highlighting the need to consider this new ecological status in future control and conservation programs.
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