Summary: | The study aims to prove the possibility of colonization of <i>N. apis</i> and <i>N. ceranae</i> to the intestine of the greater wax moth, detect the differences of greater wax moth based on the presence of <i>Nosema</i> species and examine the effect of <i>Nosema</i> species on the phenoloxidase level of greater wax moth compared with honeybees. Each group was fed on the 1st day of the experiment with its appropriate diet containing 10<sup>6</sup> <i>Nosema</i> spores per insect. Each group was checked daily, and dead insects were counted. Furthermore, changes in the level of expression of the phenoloxidase-related gene after <i>Nosema</i> spp. treatment on the 6th, 9th and 12th days, which was detected by Q-PCR, and the mRNA level of phenoloxidase gene were measured in all experiment groups with the CFX Connect Real-Time PCR Detection System. This study shows that <i>Apis mellifera</i> L. has a 66.7% mortality rate in mixed <i>Nosema</i> infections, a 50% mortality rate in <i>N. ceranae</i> infection, a 40% mortality rate in <i>N. apis</i> infection, while there is no death in <i>G. mellonella</i>. A significant difference was found in the mixed <i>Nosema</i> infection group compared to the single <i>Nosema</i> infection groups by means of <i>A. mellifera</i> and <i>G. mellonella</i> (Duncan, <i>p</i> < 0.05). <i>G. mellonella</i> histopathology also shows that <i>Nosema</i> spores multiply in the epithelial cells of greater wax moth without causing any death. The increase in the mRNA level of Phenoloxidase gene in <i>A. mellifera</i> was detected (Kruskal–Wallis, <i>p</i> < 0.05), while the mRNA level of the Phenoloxidase gene did not change in <i>G. mellonella</i> (Kruskal–Wallis, <i>p</i> > 0.05). These findings prove that the <i>Nosema</i> species can colonize into the greater wax moth, which contributes to the dissemination of these <i>Nosema</i> species between beehives.
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