Fungus may be part of bee epidemic

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Fungus may be part of bee epidemic

April 26, 2007, 09:59 PM

Hi-tech, World

http://www.imedinews.ge/en/news_read/35839

SAN FRANCISCO, April 26 (UPI) — Researchers in San Francisco say a

fungus that destroyed bee colonies in Europe and Asia may be causing

the same problem in the United States.

University of California-San Francisco researchers said the fungus,

a single-celled parasite called Nosema ceranae, may be at the root

of a phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder that is killing

bee colonies all around the United States, The Los Angeles Times

reported Thursday.

However, University of California-San Francisco biochemist Joe

DeRisi said the results are highly preliminary and the samples

containing the fungus were taken from only a few hives in

California & apos;s Merced County.

We don & apos;t want to give anybody the impression that this thing

has been solved, he told the Times.

Researchers in other parts of the country said they found the fungus

in several hives.

Nosema ceranae is one of many pathogens researchers found in

deceased bees, said entomologist - of Pennsylvania

State University. By itself, it is probably not the culprit ... but

it may be one of the key players, the newspaper reported.