Fuente: PubMed "apiculture" J Invertebr Pathol. 2026 May 3:108637. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2026.108637. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe native honey bee of the Arabian Peninsula, Apis mellifera jemenitica, is well adapted to live in arid environments, but could potentially remain vulnerable to pathogens and parasites. We present a molecular report of Nosema and viral infections from eleven commercial apiaries across Southwestern Saudi Arabia. We confirmed that all Nosema-positive samples belonged to N. ceranae, with infection levels varying by location. The average spore count via microscopy was 3.43 × 107 spores per bee across all locations, with the highest being 3.39 × 108 spores per bee. No spores were detected in three locations. Molecular quantification via qPCR revealed an average (± SEM) of 1.86 ± 0.18 log10Nosema DNA copies across all sites, with the highest being 3.24 ± 0.90 log10 DNA copies. The molecular method was more sensitive, detecting Nosema DNA when spores were not observed through microscopy. Black Queen Cell Virus levels were low at six locations, with only one colony exhibiting moderate infection (2.44 ± 0.06 log10 viral copies per bee). Deformed Wing Virus levels were low in two colonies, while Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus was detected at trace levels in three colonies. None of the other four viruses tested were detected. The average number (± SEM) of Varroa destructor mites was 2.02 ± 0.56 per 100 adult bees. Our findings suggest that A. m. jemenitica colonies in Saudi Arabia are naturally tolerant to disease, and provide an important baseline for disease monitoring and selective breeding strategies to improve honey bee resilience in the region.PMID:42086144 | DOI:10.1016/j.jip.2026.108637