Prevalence of nosemosis in honey bees (Apis mellifera l., 1758) in Hatay province

Nosemosis is an extremely dangerous and infectious honey bee disease caused by Nosema apis (Zander 1909) and Nosema ceranae (Fries et al. 1996) microsporidia species that affect the digestive system of adult honey bees. The disease is one of the most prevalent bee diseases that cause significant bee losses from time to time worldwide and in Turkey. Adult bees get disease via contaminated water, honey, pollen, beekeeping material, trophallaxis, or when they come into contact with spores while they are cleaning the hives. The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence of nosemosis by using microscopic and molecular (Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)) methods in honey bees of Hatay province, and to investigate the effects of beekeepers' attitudes and behaviors and apiary conditions on the presence of disease through questionnaire study. In the study, adult bee samples were collected from 450 hives in 75 apiaries in 6 districts of Hatay region between months March and May 2019. In addition, the questionnaire was applied to beekeepers. During the study, a total of 7500 bee samples were examined, including 100 samples from 6 hives representing each apiary. After preparing the samples brought to the laboratory, they were examined under the microscope for Nosema spp. spores. Then, in positive samples, multiplex PCR method was applied to detect Nosema spp. agents at the species level. According to the results of the microscopic examination, Nosema spp. infection rate in apiaries in the districts; Samandağ 75%, Dörtyol 56%, Yayladağı 50%, Antakya 29%, Kırıkhan 20% and Arsuz 14%. Infection rates in hives in these apiaries; Samandağ 29%, Dörtyol 22%, Antakya 21%, Yayladağı 17%, Arsuz 7% and Kırıkhan 7%. According to the molecular examination results from all investigated samples, only N. ceranae was detected, and N. apis was not detected. In the statistical evaluation of the questionnaire study that determines the effects of apiary conditions and beekeepers' attitudes and behaviors on the presence of the disease, it was determined that the variables "used bee race" and "common use of materials belonging to different hives" were statistically effective on the presence of the disease (p<0.05). As a result, the infection levels of N. ceranae in apiaries and hives in the Hatay province were determined to be rates of 45% and 20%, respectively. Infection rate in Caucasian (Hybrid) bee breeds (53.7%) was found to be significantly higher than that in native (Hatay) bee breeds (23.8%) (p<0.05). In addition, the rate of disease (50.0%) in apiaries that makes common use of materials belonging to different hives was found to be significantly higher than that in those that do not make common use (18.2%) (p<0.05).