Estimating the density of honeybee colonies across their natural range to fill the gap in pollinator decline censuses

Although pollinator declines are a global biodiversity threat, the demography of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) has not been considered by conservationists because it is biased by the activity of beekeepers. To fill this gap in pollinator decline censuses and to provide a broad picture of the current status of honeybees across their natural range, we used microsatellite genetic markers to estimate colony densities and genetic diversity at different locations in Europe, Africa, and central Asia that had different patterns of land use. Genetic diversity and colony densities were highest in South Africa and lowest in Northern Europe and were correlated with mean annual temperature. Confounding factors not related to climate, however, are also likely to influence genetic diversity and colony densities in honeybee populations. Land use showed a significantly negative influence over genetic diversity and the density of honeybee colonies over all sampling locations. In Europe honeybees sampled in nature reserves had genetic diversity and colony densities similar to those sampled in agricultural landscapes, which suggests that the former are not wild but may have come from managed hives. Other results also support this idea: putative wild bees were rare in our European samples, and the mean estimated density of honeybee colonies on the continent closely resembled the reported mean number of managed hives. Current densities of European honeybee populations are in the same range as those found in the adverse climatic conditions of the Kalahari and Saharan deserts, which suggests that beekeeping activities do not compensate for the loss of wild colonies. Our findings highlight the importance of reconsidering the conservation status of honeybees in Europe and of regarding beekeeping not only as a profitable business for producing honey, but also as an essential component of biodiversity conservation.This project was funded by the BEESHOP European network (FOOD-CT-2006-022568) and the National Research Foundation of South Africa

Morphological study of Honeybees (Apis mellifera) from Libya

We show, with classical morphometrical analyses, that Libyan honeybees sampled at coastal and desert locations are distinctly different from both the adjacent A. m. intermissa bee populations of Tunisia and Algeria and those of A. m. lamarckii of Egypt. The morphotype was most closely related to A. m. sahariensis and, based on wing venation angles, showed affinities to A. m. jemenitica, indicating that the sampled populations might be derived from a formerly extended Saharan honeybee population during the Holocene pluvial. Scattered morphometric similarities to the European bee A. m. ligustica suggest that importation of honeybees from Italy may have had only minor impact on endemic Libyan honeybee populations. Conservation measures might be particularly appropriate for remote oasis populations, which might be true relic population from the Holocene

A human case of urogenital myiasis caused by Psychoda sp. larvae in Tripoli, Libya

Urogenital myiasis caused by Psychoda spp. involving human are very rare and present with unusual symptoms. Larvae belonging to Psychoda sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae) were found in the urogenital tract of a 9-year-old girl, who lives in Tajoura, Libya, and had suffered from genital pruritus and moving larvae in urine. This is the first record of such case in Libya

Flea infestation on small wild mammals in Gharyan, Northwest Libya: Flea infestation on small wild mammals in Gharyan, Northwest Libya

Background: Fleas play a major role as vectors for many pathogens that affect humans and livestock. Wild animals,especially wild rodents, are the most important hosts, acting as reservoir hosts for many flea species and pathogens.Aim: This study aimed to identify seasonality and hosts of fleas that parasitize small wild mammals in Gharyan, northwestern Libya.Methods: Fleas were collected from seasonally infested hosts from summer 2017 to winter 2018.Results: This survey identified three flea species: Pulex irritans, Xenopsylla cheopis, and Leptopsylla segnis. Pulex irritans was collected from porcupines, X. cheopis from hedgehogs and jerboas, whereas L. segnis from gundis. The highest flea prevalence was in porcupines (35.00%) and the lowest was in gundis (11.11%). The highest intensity was in porcupines (10.43 ± 4.37), and the lowest was in jerboas (1.28 ± 0.24). The highest mean flea abundance was among porcupines of 3.65, whereas in hedgehogs, jerboas and gundis were less than 0.50 flea/host. Pulex irritans was collected during all seasons, while X. cheopis was collected during all seasons except winter, whereas L. segnis was collected only in spring.Conclusion: The finding in this study has increased our awareness that small wild mammals can act as hosts for medically important flea species. All collected flea species have a great specialty in choosing their hosts. Flea intensity is affected by seasonal variations

Prevalence of IgG antibodies for the West Nile virus in human population in Tripoli, Libya

Background & objectives: West Nile fever (WNF) is a mosquito-borne viral infection, circulated in natural cycles between birds and mosquitoes, particularly Culex species. It is transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, and causes a variety of clinical outcomes, ranging from asymptomatic or mild febrile illness to severe men in go encepha- litis with some fatalities observed in older or immunocompromised patients. West Nile virus (WNV) transmission is considerably influenced by environmental conditions; and abundance of avifauna and mosquitoes.There are very few reports on WNV exposure in individuals from Tripoli City in Libya. The main objective was to provide basic epidemiological information about the WNV seroprevalence in the human population of Tripoli. Methods: A total of 400 serum samples were collected from persons (123 females, 277 males; age range: 15-78 yr) approaching the Tripoli Reference Laboratory for the purpose of obtaining health certificate; during the period from August to October 2013. The presence of WNV IgG antibodies was evaluated by a commercial kit based on WNV immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: It was observed that 2.75% (11/400) samples were found reactive in the WNV ELISA assay. This result suggests that WNV has a low prevalence in the study area. Interpretation & conclusion: Seropositivity rates of WNV in Tripoli region of Libya were low. However, continu- ous monitoring of population is important to keep track of the disease prevalence, risk factors, reservoir hosts and vectors for better understaning of the disease epidemiology and designing appropriate control strategies

Vitamin D mitigates adult onset diseases in male and female mice induced by early-life exposure to endocrine disruptor BPA

Background: During early development, environmental compounds can induce adult onset diseases and disrupt thecirculating vitamin D (VitD) levels.Aim: This study aimed to examine the protective role of VitD against the adverse effects of BPA on male and female mice.Methods: A total of 60 male and female Swiss Albino mice (3 weeks old) were randomly divided into 5 groups; each consisted of 12 mice (6 males and 6 females) and was treated as follows: Group I received no treatment (sham control); Group II, sterile corn oil only (vehicle control); Group III, BPA (400 μg/kg); Group IV, VitD (2,195 IU/kg); and Group V, BPA + VitD. At 10.5 weeks, the animals were sacrificed to conduct histological examinations.Results: BPA-exposed mice were found to have neurobehavioral abnormalities, heart, kidney, and lung diseases with increased apoptotic indices in both sexes. On the other hand, the treatment of BPA mice with VitD altered this scenario with modulated motor activity, enhanced body and organ weights, and preserved the heart, kidney, and lung architecture, alongside a decreased percent apoptotic index.Conclusion: Our findings illustrate that VitD protects mice against BPA-induced heart, kidney, and lung abnormalities

Presence of Sergentomyia (Parrotomyia) lewisi (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Tunisia.

International audienceIn Tunisia, 17 phlebotomine sand fly species are reported, belonging to genera Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia. However, subsequent to faunal studies and outbreaks of leishmaniasis in different regions of the country, unrecognized sand fly species could exist. Indeed, we report in this study the presence of Sergentomyia (Parrotomyia) lewisiParrot 1948. A brief collection of phlebotomine sand flies was undertaken in August 2016 in Khbina locality, in Sidi Bouzid governorate situated in Central Tunisia, which constitutes an old focus of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Sand flies were collected, using CDC light traps that were placed overnight, in different biotopes (inside habitations, outdoors, and within animal shelters). Specimens were collected and morphologically identified. Measurements were taken with an ocular micrometer. Two female specimens of the species Se. (Parrotomyia) lewisi were collected. One specimen is here described and measured. A comparison of its taxonomic characters to the holotype from Sudan and a specimen from Algeria is also presented. This species was until now only reported from Sudan, Ethiopia, Algeria, and Morocco. It is here described for the first time in Tunisia, which raises the Tunisian sand fly fauna to seven subgenera and 18 species

Exposure to low-dose bisphenol A induces spleen damage in a murine model: Potentially through oxidative stress?

Background: During early life, exposure to environmental toxicants, including endocrine disruptor bisphenol A(BPA), can be detrimental to the immune system. To our knowledge, a few researches have looked at the effects of developing BPA exposures on the spleen.Aim: The murine model was developed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms and mode of BPA actions on the spleen subsequent to prolonged early-life exposure to BPA.Methods: Immature (3-week-old) male and female Swiss Albino mice were intraperitoneally injected with 50 μg/kg BPA in corn oil or corn oil alone for 6 weeks. Mouse spleens were harvested and examined histologically at 10 weeks old (adulthood).Results: We observed neurobehavioral impairments and a significant increase in peripheral monocyte and lymphocyte counts in mice (males and females). Moreover, several spleen abnormalities in both male and female mice were observed in adulthood. BPA-treated mice’s histopathological results revealed toxicity in the form of significantly active germinal centers of the white pulp and a few apoptotic cells. There was also a notable invasion of the red pulp by eosinophils and lymphocytes that were significantly higher than normal. Agarose gel electrophoresis provided further evidence of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and apoptosis in the splenic tissues of BPA-treated mice compared to controls. In addition, there were increased levels of the lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde end-product, a marker of oxidative lipid damage, in the spleens of BPA-treated mice compared to controls.Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that oxidative stress injury induced by early-life exposures to BPA could contribute to a range of splenic tissue damages during adulthood