Infectious diseases and parasites
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There are a number of infectious diseases and parasites that can have serious consequences for a bee colony.
Among them are:
- American foulbrood - a highly infectious bacterial infection that leads to the death of bee brood
- European foulbrood - a bacterial infection that leads to the death of bee brood
- Nosema - a fungal infection that affects the adult bees intestinal tract
- Chalkbrood - a fungal infection that affects the brood, ultimately killing it
- Stone brood - a fungal infection that affects the brood, ultimately killing it
- Varroa - a parasitic mite that often leads to secondary infections, such as a number of viruses, that end up killing the colony over the course of a few years.
- a number of different viruses
Detailed descriptions of these diseases that affect all honey bee subspecies can be found for example here
Diseases have to be kept in mind when exporting/importing bees - there are many strict veterianry regulations regarding this. REGULATIONS MOVING BEES AROUND