A new study questions the role of nosema in colony collapse, stating that nosema ceranae has been in the region of the former Yugoslavia for at least ten years, with no drastic reduction in bee populations. They contrast this with the fact that beekeepers are using fumagillin extensively with little regard for the potential for contamination of honey by this potent antibiotic.


Dominance of Nosema ceranae in honey bees in the Balkan countries in the absence of symptoms of colony collapse disorder. Jevrosima Stevanovic, Zoran Stanimirovic, Elke Genersch, et al. 2010. Apidologie

Summary: The prevalence of N. ceranae in Balkan countries was not associated with an increase in nosemosis or colony losses resembling Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

The results of this study demonstrated N. ceranae in 272 samples and N. apis in only one sample which suggest the dominance of N. ceranae infection in all Balkan countries monitored throughout the last three years (2006– 2009).  The detection solely of N. ceranae in older samples collected between 2000 and 2005 from Serbia indicates that this species has been present in Serbia since at least 2000.  

The impressive dominance of N. ceranae confirmed by analysing a considerable number of samples in this study, including older samples collected between 2000 and 2005, as well as the absence of any molecular evidence of N. apis as a predominant honey bee microsporidian in Serbia, may indicate that N. ceranae is not an emergent pathogen of honey bees in Serbia, at least it was not in the last 10 years. 

In all the Balkan countries monitored, the usage of fumagillin for the control of nosemosis has been common and extensive, despite the fact that if not used properly it can have harmful effects on human health.

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