Improving molecular discrimination of Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae

Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae are the causative agents of nosemosis, a contagious honeybee disease that weakens bee colonies. The species are discriminated through several PCR-based methods including a multiplex PCR recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). In this study, the OIE protocol was compared to two other PCR protocols using different PCR kits with the same primer pairs as described in OIE. The results showed that the three PCR protocols have similar sensitivity but only the kit dedicated to multiplex PCR could detect small quantities of one Nosema species when greater quantities of the other were also present. However, singleplex PCR methods are currently the most sensitive methods for discerning each species. These results have important implications for epidemiology and the understanding of the disease.

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► To distinguish Nosema species, two PCR protocols were compared to the OIE method.
► A PCR protocol based on OIE protocol but dedicated to multiplex PCR was developed.
► This protocol can detect small quantities of one species in mixture of two species.
► The choice of PCR protocols for understanding of the disease is discussed.