An Australian study has found proteins in bee semen could be used to make medicine for pathogens that threaten bee populations.

The study, published by the University of Western Australia's Centre for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER), found proteins in the bee seminal fluid can fight off pathogens almost immediately, even if the male bees had never before encountered the threat.

Researchers have previously established bee semen has anti-microbial properties and can carry an immune response to fight off parasites and diseases.

This most recent study investigated how male honey bees responded to an infection with the fungal parasite Nosema apis, which is carried in the bee semen.

CIBER researchers tracked how sick males defended themselves against the virus.

Lead author Dr Julia Grassl said the complexity of the immune system in the seminal fluid surrounding honey bee sperm was "remarkable".

Dr Grassl said the proteins that created this immunity in the seminal fluid could be used to develop natural medication to treat parasite-infected bee hives.

"For us the next step is having to actually look into these individual proteins that we found to respond," she said.

"And see whether we can somehow utilise them to develop medications."

Dr Grassl said it was vital to develop new and improved treatment options for bees to prevent further decline in global bee populations.