First detection of Nosema ceranaein honey bees (Apis melliferaL.) of the Macaronesian archipelago of Madeira

AbstractThe Microsporidia Nosema ceranaeis an invasive pathogen affecting honey bee health, particularly in warm climates. In this study, N. ceranaewas detected for the first time in honey bees (Apis melliferaL.) of the Madeira archipelago, indicating that this pathogen is now spreading across the entire Macaronesia. Nosema apiswas not detected, and the high prevalence (67.7%) of N. ceranaeindicates its dominance over N. apis.