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Inactivation of Nosema spp. with zinc phthalocyanine
Asiye Gok Yurttas1, Kamil Çinar2, Zaeema Khan3
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul Health and Technology University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Abstract:
Most honey bee pathogens, such as Vairimorpha (Nosema), cannot be rapidly and definitively diagnosed in a natural setting, consequently there is typically the spread of these diseases through shared and re-use of beekeeping equipment. Furthermore, there are no viable treatment options available for Nosema spores to aid in managing the spread of this bee disease. We therefore aimed to develop a new method using novel Zinc Phthalocyanine (ZnPc) as a photosensitizer for the photodynamic inactivation of Nosema spores that could be used for the decontamination of beekeeping equipment. Nosema spores were propagated for in vitro testing using four caged Apis mellifera honey bees. The ZnPc treatment was characterized, encapsulated with a liposome, and then used as either a 10 or 100 µM treatment for the freshly harvested Nosema spores, for either a 30 and or 60-minute time period, under either light or dark conditions, in-vitro, in 96-well plates. In the dark treatment, after 30-min, the ZnPc 100 µM treatment, caused a 30 % Nosema mortality, while this increased to 80 % at the same concentration after the light treatment. The high rate of anti-spore effects, in a short period of time, supports the notion that this could be an effective treatment for managing honey bee Nosema infections in the future. Our results also suggest that the photo activation of the treatment could be applied in the field setting and this would increase the sterilization of beekeeping equipment against Nosema.
Insights
A novel Zinc Phthalocyanine (ZnPc) treatment effectively inactivates Nosema spores, a common honey bee pathogen. This photodynamic therapy shows promise for decontaminating beekeeping equipment and managing Nosema infections in Apis mellifera.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Entomology
- Microbiology
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Honey bee pathogens like Vairimorpha (Nosema) spread easily due to difficulties in rapid diagnosis and lack of effective treatments for Nosema spores.
- Contaminated beekeeping equipment is a primary vector for Nosema transmission, posing a significant threat to Apis mellifera populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for the photodynamic inactivation of Nosema spores using Zinc Phthalocyanine (ZnPc).
- To assess the efficacy of ZnPc as a photosensitizer for decontaminating beekeeping equipment against Nosema.
Main Methods:
- Nosema spores were propagated in vitro from caged Apis mellifera.
- ZnPc was characterized, encapsulated in liposomes, and applied at 10 or 100 µM concentrations to spores for 30 or 60 minutes under light or dark conditions.
- In vitro testing was conducted in 96-well plates.
Main Results:
- The 100 µM ZnPc treatment achieved 30% Nosema spore mortality in the dark after 30 minutes.
- Under light conditions, the 100 µM ZnPc treatment resulted in 80% Nosema spore mortality within 30 minutes.
- The photodynamic treatment demonstrated a high rate of anti-spore effects in a short timeframe.
Conclusions:
- Zinc Phthalocyanine (ZnPc) shows potential as an effective treatment for managing honey bee Nosema infections.
- Photo-activated ZnPc treatment could be a viable field method for sterilizing beekeeping equipment against Nosema spores.
- This approach offers a promising strategy to mitigate the spread of Nosema disease in honey bee colonies.
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