Long-term surveillance is essential for understanding the epidemiology of honey bee pathogens. We analysed data from the Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) Apicultural Epidemiological Surveillance Program between 2019 and 2025 to assess temporal patterns of Varroa destructor and Nosema ceranae. A total of 1139 colonies from 100 commercial apiaries were sampled during annual autumn campaigns following mandatory acaricide treatment against varroosis; all reported prevalence estimates therefore reflect post-treatment sampling. Valid results were available for 1131 colonies for V. destructor and 1110 for N. ceranae. Overall V. destructor prevalence was 56.1% (annual range: 44.4–65.9%), with a mean infestation of 2.12 mites per 100 adult bees, exceeding values reported for the region during the 2012–2014 EPILOBEE surveillance period. However, colony-level generalized estimating equations accounting for within-apiary clustering detected no significant linear temporal trend in prevalence (OR per year = 1.05; P = 0.464) or infestation (β = 0.16; P = 0.227). Overall PCR-based N. ceranae prevalence was 59.1%, decreasing from 71.7% in 2019 to 43.8% in 2021 before increasing to 74.7% in 2025, without a significant linear temporal trend (OR per year = 1.11; P = 0.114). Mean spore counts among PCR-positive colonies reached 4.6 million spores per bee in 2025 and were interpreted descriptively. These findings highlight distinct interannual patterns and the importance of sustained colony-level surveillance.
Research on blood microbiomes in dogs and cats remains limited, particularly in southern Africa. This study characterised blood-associated bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid in domestic dogs and cats from eight Namibian regions using near-full-length 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequencing and an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) approach. Archived whole blood samples from 57 dogs and five cats, selected based on previous molecular screening results, were analysed using Pacific Biosciences long-read sequencing. Following quality control and contaminant filtering, 141 ASVs were retained across 61 samples. Proteobacteria predominated among the detected bacterial sequences, alongside Tenericutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. Alpha diversity did not differ significantly between regions, whereas beta diversity revealed significant regional differences in microbial community composition (PPERMANOVA = 0.002). Phylogenetic analysis identified ASVs closely related to Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, several haemotropic Mycoplasma species, and an uncultured Bartonella species. Notably, an E. canis-associated ASV was identified in feline samples, while additional ASVs associated with haemotropic Mycoplasma species and Bartonella expanded the molecular characterisation of these bacterial taxa in Namibian companion animals. This study represents the first ASV-based investigation of blood-associated bacterial communities in Namibian dogs and cats, providing insight into bacterial diversity and phylogenetic relationships. The findings expand our understanding of bacterial taxa of veterinary importance in Namibian companion animals and provide a foundation for further molecular surveillance and investigation of potentially pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria.
