Determination of Nosema Disease in Colonies of Kırşehir Province

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of Nosema disease caused by Nosema ceranae and Nosema apis in bee colonies in Kırşehir. A hundred worker honey bee samples were collected from each of 51 beekeepers in 31 locations in 5 provinces of Kırşehir (Centrium, Mucur, Akpınar, Boztepe and Kaman) in July 2014. A total 5100 samples were used in this study. The microscopic examinations of the study suggested that there was existence of Nosema spores in Centrium, Mucur, Akpınar and Boztepe with 25%, 23.07%, 12.5% and 60%, respectively; whereas no spores were detected in Kaman province. It was found a positive correlation between humidity and numbers of nosema spores. Molecular analyses showed that N. ceranae is only Nosema type in studied all positive samples.