Presence of Varroa destructor, Nosema apis, and Acarapis woodi, in honey bee (Apis mellifera) of the east region in the State of Mexico

Beekeeping in Mexico is an important productive activity, but it is threatened by the presence of diseases that affect the development and production of the colonies. The aim of this research was to determine, the frequency and degree of infestation of Varroa destructor, Nosema apis, and Acarapis woodi in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies from the east region in the State of Mexico. A total of 93 samples were collected from five town councils with beekeepers organized in the region, samples were analyzed for these three pathogens. A statistical comparison between five town councils was performed. The results indicated that all samples were positive (100 %) to V. destructor with levels from 0.5 to 22.1 %, but they were negative to Nosema and Acariosis. The town council of Tlalmanalco registered the highest values of V. destructor with 7.9 % (P <= 0.05). The results suggest that Varroatosis is an important disease for the region, but Nosema and A. woddi do not pose a threat to this bee population.