Med. Weter. 69 (12), 730-732, 2013

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Borsuk G., Paleolog J., Olszewski K., Strachecka A.
Laboratory assessment of the effect of nanosilver on longevity, sugar syrup ingestion, and infection of honeybees with Nosema spp
After the withdrawal of Fumagillin, there is no drug which is sufficiently effective against nosema disease. Therefore, intensive research is conducted in order to find new nosemacides. Microsporidia from the genus Nosema are regarded one of the causes of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Hence, any new compound that may be useful in the nosemathosis treatment may be of great importance for veterinary practice. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a nanosilver-supplemented diet on worker-bee longevity and on the level of worker-bee infection with Nosema spp. in honeybees in cage tests. The diet supplemented with 25ppm of nanosilver decreased the number of nosema spores. Therefore the compound might be considered as useful in the nosemosis disease therapy. On the other hand, in experiment I, supplementation of the syrup with 25 ppm of nanosilver significantly shortened worker-bees? lifespan. This, however, was not observed in experiment II. Honeybees fed with syrup supplemented with 25 ppm of nanosilver consumed the greatest amounts of the syrup. Moreover, bees fed with syrup supplemented with 12.5 and 25 ppm of nanosilver exhibited increasing contents of silver in their bodies. .
Key words: Nosema spp., nanosilver, laboratory test, sugar syrup, bee longevity, XRF