The effect of dicyclohexylamine and fumagillin on Nosema ceranae-infected honey bee (Apis mellifera) mortality in cage trial assays

Abstract

Both commercially available fumagillin-based treatments for honey bees (Apis mellifera), Fumagilin-B® as well as Fumidil-B®, contain the reportedly genotoxic and tumorigenic compound dicyclohexylamine (DCH) as the counter ion in the fumagillin-DCH salt. The effect of DCH, purified fumagillin (containing no DCH), and the commercial formulation Fumagilin-B® (containing both fumagillin as well as DCH) on the mortality of caged Nosema ceranae-infected honey bees was investigated. A statistically significant risk of bee mortality associated with oral exposure to DCH was observed. DCH is also known to be significantly more stable than fumagillin in honey under a variety of temperature conditions, both in the presence and absence of light. The presence of DCH in the hive is therefore a potential concern for bee health and also for food safety.