Preparation for bee disease on the market in a few months

Nosemosis is one of the most common diseases of bees. It is caused by fungi Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae that attack the intestinal epithelial cells, resulting in malnutrition and weakening of the bees, which in turn increases their susceptibility to other diseases.

Currently, there are no sufficiently effective and safe methods of treating nosemosis in bees. Antibiotics based on fumagiline inhibits the development of the disease (although they do not destroy fungal spores), but due to the risk of penetration of fumagiline or its metabolism products to honey, it has been banned in Europe. Beekeepers use various herbal preparations, for example oak bark extract, but those do not completely eliminate the disease.

The invention of Polish scientists, plant preparations that support nosemosis treatment in bees and improve their resistance, was submitted to the Polish Patent Office in December 2015.

"After two years of additional studies and tests to check the effects of the preparation in different seasons, carried out on a dozen bee colonies - the exceptional effectiveness and lack of adverse effects have been confirmed" - the spokeswoman of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin Aneta Adamska reports in a press release.

The preparation was developed by a team of scientists from three universities - the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, the University of Life Sciences in Lublin and the Jagiellonian University - composed of: Dr. Aneta Ptaszyńska, Dr. Małgorzata Cytryńska, Prof. Wiesław Mułeko, Dr. Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas, Dr. Grzegorz Borsuk and Dr. Daniel Załuski.

The preparation is designed to control fungi that cause nosemosis in bees. "It has an exceptional composition based solely on natural plant substances, high effectiveness of treatment of honey bee infections with Nosema spp. fungi and strengthening their resistance, expressed by the increased levels of the enzyme involved in the immune response" - reads the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University press release.

The product will be marketed by Biowet Puławy, which produces various medicines for animals, including vaccines, antibiotics, antiparasitic preparations. According to Adamska, the preparation based on the inter-university invention will be launched in a few months.

Another result of cooperation between the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, the University of Life Sciences and Biowet Puławy is a joint patent application for a new, innovative probiotic for bees based on strains of bacteria from the genera Lactobacillus and Fructobacillus, which will be used in the prevention and treatment of bee diseases.

"Lactobacillus kunkeei bacteria have been isolated from the alimentary tracts of healthy bees coming from families with very good condition, which makes this product unique on the market and distinguishes it among the available probiotics containing microorganisms that do not target a specific group of animals" - reports the spokeswoman.

The probiotic will be presented at an invention exhibition in Paris in June. According to Adamska, the invention co-author Biowet Puławy plans market a commercial form of the probiotic later this year. "This will be another confirmation of cooperation on the line science-business, and an example of successful commercialisation of the results of scientific research" - she concludes. (PAP)

Author: Renata Chrzanowska

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