Twenty-five-year study of spp. in honey bees () in Serbia.

A total of 7386 samples of adult honey bees from different areas of Serbia (fifteen regions and 79 municipalities) were selected for light microscopy analysis for species during 1992-2017. A selection of honey bee samples from colonies positive for microsporidian spores during 2009-2011, 2015 and 2017 were then subjected to molecular diagnosis by multiplex PCR using specific primers for a region of the 16S rRNA gene of species. The prevalence of microsporidian spore-positive bee colonies ranged between 14.4% in 2013 and 65.4% in 1992. PCR results show that is not the only species to infect honey bees in Serbia. Mixed infections were detected in the two honey bee samples examined by mPCR during 2017. The beekeeping management of disease prevention, such as replacement of combs and queens and hygienic handling of colonies are useful in the prevention of infection.