Apis mellifera filamentous virus from a honey bee gut microbiome survey in Hungary.

In Hungary, as part of a nationwide, climatically balanced survey for a next-generation sequencing-based study of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) gut microbiome, repeated sampling was carried out during the honey production season (March and May 2019). Among other findings, the presence of Apis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV) was detected in all samples, some at very high levels. AmFV-derived reads were more abundant in the March samples than in the May samples. In March, a higher abundance of AmFV-originated reads was identified in samples collected from warmer areas compared to those collected from cooler areas. A lower proportion of AmFV-derived reads were identified in samples collected in March from the wetter areas than those collected from the drier areas. AmFV-read abundance in samples collected in May showed no significant differences between groups based on either environmental temperature or precipitation. The AmFV abundance correlated negatively with Bartonella apihabitans, Bartonella choladocola, and positively with Frischella perrara, Gilliamella apicola, Gilliamella sp. ESL0443, Lactobacillus apis, Lactobacillus kullabergensis, Lactobacillus sp. IBH004. De novo metagenome assembly of four samples resulted in almost the complete AmFV genome. According to phylogenetic analysis based on DNA polymerase, the Hungarian strains are closest to the strain CH-05 isolated in Switzerland.

Natural diversity of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) gut bacteriome in various climatic and seasonal states.

As pollinators and producers of numerous human-consumed products, honey bees have great ecological, economic and health importance. The composition of their bacteriota, for which the available knowledge is limited, is essential for their body's functioning. Based on our survey, we performed a metagenomic analysis of samples collected by repeated sampling. We used geolocations that represent the climatic types of the study area over two nutritionally extreme periods (March and May) of the collection season. Regarding bacteriome composition, a significant difference was found between the samples from March and May. The samples' bacteriome from March showed a significant composition difference between cooler and warmer regions. However, there were no significant bacteriome composition differences among the climatic classes of samples taken in May. Based on our results, one may conclude that the composition of healthy core bacteriomes in honey bees varies depending on the climatic and seasonal conditions. This is likely due to climatic factors and vegetation states determining the availability and nutrient content of flowering plants. The results of our study prove that in order to gain a thorough understanding of a microbiome's natural diversity, we need to obtain the necessary information from extreme ranges within the host's healthy state.

Permanent prevalence of Nosema ceranae in honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Hungary.

Nosema ceranae is present in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies worldwide. Studies on the comparative virulence of N. ceranae and N. apis showed significant differences in individual mortality, and the prevalence of N. ceranae seems to be predominant in both the continental and the Mediterranean climate regions. This study attempted to monitor the geographical and seasonal distribution of these two Nosema species in Hungary, using a simple laboratory method. The distribution of N. ceranae and N. apis infection rates along all seasons was homogeneous (P = 0.57). In co-infected samples, the intensity of N. ceranae infection was always significantly higher than that of N. apis infection (P < 0.001). The infection rate of infected bees in exterior samples was higher than in interior samples in each season; however, the differences were not statistically significant. The species N. ceranae had been present in Hungary already in 2004. Statistical analysis of data shows that the infection level is best represented by sampling exterior bees to establish the proportion of infected bees rather than by determining the mean spore count.

First detection and dominance of Nosema ceranae in Hungarian honeybee colonies.

Microsporidiosis (nosema disease) of the European honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.) is present in bee colonies worldwide. Until recently, Nosema apis had been regarded as the causative agent of the disease, which may have many negative effects on the colony and cause heavy economic losses in apicultures. Another microsporidium species, Nosema ceranae , was reported to infest the Asian honeybee ( Apis ceranae ), but both honeybee species are susceptible to both microsporidia. In the European honeybee N. ceranae was first detected in Spain in the year 2006. As it is difficult to distinguish N. ceranae and N. apis morphologically, a rapid and accurate assay has been developed to differentiate N. apis and N. ceranae based on polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of the partial large subunit ribosomal RNA. The assay was tested on 38 Nosema -infested bee samples, which were collected from geographically distant Hungarian bee colonies representing all regions of the country. Only one sample contained N. apis , and in the other 37 samples N. ceranae was detected, which indicates the dominance of N. ceranae in Hungarian apiaries. This is the first report on the presence of N. ceranae in Hungary.

[Teaching of microsurgery--in service of research and clinical practice]. / Mikrosebészeti oktatás a kutatás és a klinikai gyakorlat szolgálatában.

We analyse the improving role of teaching microsurgery, the advantages of the microsurgical models in research and clinical practice. We summarize our experience in teaching basic microsurgery according to Furka's model in the last 15 years. The main characteristics of the principles are: activity, synchronism, video assistance, self-control, individualization, analysis. We show the curriculum of the courses for researchers and participants in graduate and postgraduate education, which consists dry-training on models followed by surgical interventions on rats. Summarizing of our practices: to learn the basic microsurgical techniques the participants need endurance, patience, and have to work hard. Effectiveness of the education is most successful if we organize small groups, if one teacher deals with a maximum of two or three candidates.

[Two cases of Terrien's marginal degeneration treated with peripheral full thickness keratectomy, and followed-up by computer-assisted corneal topography]. / Die postoperativen hornhauttopographischen Charakteristika der Terrienschen Krankheit.

BACKGROUND: In 1970 Alberth and Süveges published a method, peripheral full thickness keratectomy, for the treatment of Terrien's marginal degeneration of the cornea. They hypothesized that this type of surgery acts by excising the thinned and extended corneal parts and by restoring normal corneal surface and curvature. METHOD: The right eyes of two patients with Terrien's disease were operated with full thickness keratectomy at our Department, and were followed-up by computer-assisted computer topography. RESULTS: The corneal surface became more regular, astigmatism smaller and fully correctable, visual acuity improved, and the results did not change between 1 and 3 years after surgery in either of the two cases. CONCLUSION: Peripheral full thickness keratectomy, in our experience, proved effective in reducing astigmatism, in improving visual acuity, and in stopping the progression of the disease. Corneal topography can be used in the diagnosis of Terrien's disease, as well as in the postoperative follow-up of patients, giving more information than simple keratometry.

Atuais conhecimentos sobre Myxosporea (Myxozoa), parasitas de peixes. Um estágio alternativo dos parasitas no Brasil / Recent information on the Myxosporean (Myxozoa) fish parasites. An alternate stage of the parasites in Brazil

Os autores relatam as recentes informaçöes sobre o ciclo alternativo dos mixosporeos (Myxozoa) comprovados nos últimos anos nos oligoquetas, estimulando pesquisas para estudar o desenvolvimento das numerosas espécies de parasitas de peixes conhecidos e desconhecidos dos mixosporeos no Brasil. Ao mesmo tempo, formas de actinosporeos, raabeia, eliminados pelos oligoquetas da família Ocnerodrilidae, foram relatadas pela primeira vez no Brasil