First detection of bee viruses in hoverfly (syrphid) pollinators

Global declines of insect pollinators jeopardize the delivery of pollination services in both agricultural and natural ecosystems. The importance of infectious diseases has been documented in honeybees, but there is little information on the extent to which these diseases are shared with other pollinator orders. Here, we establish for the first time the presence of three important bee viruses in hoverfly pollinators (Diptera: Syrphidae): black queen cell virus (BQCV), sacbrood virus (SBV) and deformed wing virus strain B (DWV-B). These viruses were detected in two Eristalis species, which are behavioural and morphological bee mimics and share a foraging niche with honeybees. Nucleotide sequences of viruses isolated from the Eristalis species and Apis mellifera were up to 99 and 100% identical for the two viruses, suggesting that these pathogens are being shared freely between bees and hoverflies. Interestingly, while replicative intermediates (negative strand virus) were not detected in the hoverflies, viral titres of SBV were similar to those found in A. mellifera . These results suggest that syrphid pollinators may play an important but previously unexplored role in pollinator disease dynamics.

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First molecular detection of co-infection of honey bee viruses in asymptomatic Bombus atratus in South America

Brazilian Journal of Biology ◽

10.1590/s1519-69842013000400016 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 73 (4) ◽

pp. 797-800 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

FJ. Reynaldi ◽

GH. Sguazza ◽

FJ. Albicoro ◽

MR. Pecoraro ◽

CM. Galosi

Keyword(s):

South America ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Production Systems ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Viral Reservoirs ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Queen Cell ◽

Bombus Atratus ◽

Bee Viruses

Pollination is critical for food production and has the particularity of linking natural ecosystems with agricultural production systems. Recently, losses of bumblebee species have been reported worldwide. In this study, samples from a commercial exploitation of bumblebees of Argentina with a recent history of deaths were studied using a multiplex PCR for the detection of the honey bee viruses most frequently detected in South America. All samples analysed were positive for co-infections with Deformed wing virus, Black queen cell virus and Sacbrood virus. This is the first report of infection of Bombus atratus with honey bee viruses. A better understanding of viral infections in bumblebees and of the epidemiology of viruses could be of great importance as bumblebees can serve as possible viral reservoirs, resulting in pathogen spillover towards honey bees and native bumblebees.

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Presence and Prevalence of Viruses in Local and Migratory Honeybees (Apis mellifera) in Massachusetts

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.01319-09 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 75 (24) ◽

pp. 7862-7865 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Anna Welch ◽

Francis Drummond ◽

Sunil Tewari ◽

Anne Averill ◽

John P. Burand

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Black Queen Cell Virus ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Sacbrood Virus ◽

Queen Cell ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACT Migratory and local bees in Massachusetts were analyzed for seven viruses. Three were detected: black queen cell virus (BQCV), deformed wing virus (DWV), and sacbrood virus (SBV). DWV was most common, followed closely by BQCV and then by SBV. BQCV and SBV were present at significantly higher rates in the migratory bees assayed, bringing into question the impact that these bees have on the health of local bee populations.

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Deformed Wing Virus in Two Widespread Invasive Ants: Geographical Distribution, Prevalence, and Phylogeny

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v12111309 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 1309

Author(s):

Chun-Yi Lin ◽

Chih-Chi Lee ◽

Yu-Shin Nai ◽

Hung-Wei Hsu ◽

Chow-Yang Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Geographical Distribution ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Transmission Efficiency ◽

Reservoir Host ◽

Asia Pacific ◽

Invasive Ants ◽

Pollination Services ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Bee Viruses

Spillover of honey bee viruses have posed a significant threat to pollination services, triggering substantial effort in determining the host range of the viruses as an attempt to understand the transmission dynamics. Previous studies have reported infection of honey bee viruses in ants, raising the concern of ants serving as a reservoir host. Most of these studies, however, are restricted to a single, local ant population. We assessed the status (geographical distribution/prevalence/viral replication) and phylogenetic relationships of honey bee viruses in ants across the Asia–Pacific region, using deformed wing virus (DWV) and two widespread invasive ants, Paratrechina longicornis and Anoplolepis gracilipes, as the study system. DWV was detected in both ant species, with differential geographical distribution patterns and prevenance levels between them. These metrics, however, are consistent across the geographical range of the same ant species. Active replication was only evident in P. longicornis. We also showed that ant-associated DWV is genetically similar to that isolated from Asian populations of honey bees, suggesting that local acquisition of DWV by the invasive ants may have been common at least in some of our sampled regions. Transmission efficiency of DWV to local arthropods mediated by ant, however, may vary across ant species.

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Direct transmission by injection affects competition among RNA viruses in honeybees

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2018.2452 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 286 (1895) ◽

pp. 20182452 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Emily J. Remnant ◽

Niklas Mather ◽

Thomas L. Gillard ◽

Boris Yagound ◽

Madeleine Beekman

Keyword(s):

Varroa Destructor ◽

Rna Viruses ◽

Direct Injection ◽

Direct Transmission ◽

Black Queen Cell Virus ◽

Virus Inoculation ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Viral Virulence ◽

Queen Cell ◽

Mode Of Transmission

The arrival of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor on the western honeybee Apis mellifera saw a change in the diversity and prevalence of honeybee RNA viruses. One virus in particular, deformed wing virus (DWV) has become closely associated with V. destructor , leading many to conclude that V. destructor has affected viral virulence by changing the mode of transmission. While DWV is normally transmitted via feeding and faeces, V. destructor transmits viruses by direct injection. This change could have resulted in higher viral prevalence causing increased damage to the bees. Here we test the effect of a change in the mode of transmission on the composition and levels of honeybee RNA viruses in the absence of V. destructor . We find a rapid increase in levels of two viruses, sacbrood virus (SBV) and black queen cell virus (BQCV) after direct injection of viral extracts into honeybee pupae. In pupae injected with high levels of DWV extracted from symptomatic adult bees, DWV levels rapidly decline in the presence of SBV and BQCV. Further, we observe high mortality in honeybee pupae when injected with SBV and BQCV, whereas injecting pupae with high levels of DWV results in near 100% survival. Our results suggest a different explanation for the observed association between V. destructor and DWV. Instead of V. destructor causing an increase in DWV virulence, we hypothesize that direct virus inoculation, such as that mediated by a vector, quickly eliminates the most virulent honeybee viruses resulting in an association with less virulent viruses such as DWV.

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The Pathogen Profile of a Honey Bee Queen Does Not Reflect That of Her Workers

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11060382 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 382 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jessica L. Kevill ◽

Katie Lee ◽

Michael Goblirsch ◽

Erin McDermott ◽

David R. Tarpy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Horizontal Transmission ◽

Pathogen Transmission ◽

Black Queen Cell Virus ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus ◽

Queen Cell ◽

Honey Bee Queen ◽

Acute Bee Paralysis Virus ◽

Paralysis Virus

Throughout a honey bee queen’s lifetime, she is tended to by her worker daughters, who feed and groom her. Such interactions provide possible horizontal transmission routes for pathogens from the workers to the queen, and as such a queen’s pathogen profile may be representative of the workers within a colony. To explore this further, we investigated known honey bee pathogen co-occurrence, as well as pathogen transmission from workers to queens. Queens from 42 colonies were removed from their source hives and exchanged into a second, unrelated foster colony. Worker samples were taken from the source colony on the day of queen exchange and the queens were collected 24 days after introduction. All samples were screened for Nosema spp., Trypanosome spp., acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Lake Sinai virus (LSV), and deformed wing virus master variants (DWV-A, B, and C) using RT-qPCR. The data show that LSV, Nosema, and DWV-B were the most abundant pathogens in colonies. All workers (n = 42) were LSV-positive, 88% were Nosema-positive, whilst pathogen loads were low (<1 × 106 genome equivalents per pooled worker sample). All queens (n = 39) were negative for both LSV and Nosema. We found no evidence of DWV transmission occurring from worker to queen when comparing queens to foster colonies, despite DWV being present in both queens and workers. Honey bee pathogen presence and diversity in queens cannot be revealed from screening workers, nor were pathogens successfully transmitted to the queen.

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Diversity and Global Distribution of Viruses of the Western Honey Bee, Apis mellifera

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11040239 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 239 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Alexis Beaurepaire ◽

Niels Piot ◽

Vincent Doublet ◽

Karina Antunez ◽

Ewan Campbell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

High Throughput Sequencing ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Pollination Services ◽

Colony Losses ◽

New Host ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Bee Colony ◽

Queen Cell

In the past centuries, viruses have benefited from globalization to spread across the globe, infecting new host species and populations. A growing number of viruses have been documented in the western honey bee, Apis mellifera. Several of these contribute significantly to honey bee colony losses. This review synthetizes the knowledge of the diversity and distribution of honey-bee-infecting viruses, including recent data from high-throughput sequencing (HTS). After presenting the diversity of viruses and their corresponding symptoms, we surveyed the scientific literature for the prevalence of these pathogens across the globe. The geographical distribution shows that the most prevalent viruses (deformed wing virus, sacbrood virus, black queen cell virus and acute paralysis complex) are also the most widely distributed. We discuss the ecological drivers that influence the distribution of these pathogens in worldwide honey bee populations. Besides the natural transmission routes and the resulting temporal dynamics, global trade contributes to their dissemination. As recent evidence shows that these viruses are often multihost pathogens, their spread is a risk for both the beekeeping industry and the pollination services provided by managed and wild pollinators.

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Feral and managed honey bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in southern California have similar levels of viral pathogens

10.1101/2021.05.17.444546 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Amy C Geffre ◽

Dillon Travis ◽

Joshua Kohn ◽

James Nieh

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Southern California ◽

Multiple Stressors ◽

Pollination Services ◽

Viral Pathogens ◽

Viral Pathogen ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Native Bee ◽

Queen Cell

Bees provide critical pollination services but are threatened by multiple stressors, including viral pathogens. Most studies of pollinator health focus on managed honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus) (MHB) or native bee species, but a third player, the feral honey bee (FHB), requires further study. Spillover and spillback of viral pathogens between these managed, feral, and native bees is generating increasing interest. In this case study, we provide evidence suggesting that FHB colonies play an important role in viral pathogen dynamics of southern California pollinator communities because they act as reservoirs, of viral pathogens such as acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), and deformed wing virus (DWV). Surprisingly, even though FHB are not treated for diseases or parasites, they harbor similar pathogen loads to MHB, which are usually highly treated, suggesting the need for future studies to determine if FHB resist or are more resilient to viruses.

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Phylogenetic analysis of black queen cell virus and deformed wing virus in honeybee colonies infected by mites in Van, Eastern Turkey

Medycyna Weterynaryjna ◽

10.21521/mw.5990 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

pp. 5990-2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ZEYNEP KARAPINAR ◽

BEKİR OĞUZ ◽

ENDER DİNÇER ◽

CİHAT ÖZTÜRK

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Analysis Data ◽

Parasitic Infections ◽

Black Queen Cell Virus ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Eastern Turkey ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

Queen Cell ◽

Colony Loss ◽

Paralysis Virus

This study aimed to determine the presence and prevalence of viral and parasitic infections causing high rates of colony loss in honey bee colonies in Van province, eastern Turkey. Twenty-six different apiaries were collected from five counties in Van province. These samples were tested by Reverse-Transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) for acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV) and deformed wing virus (DWV). Selected positives were sequenced, phylogenetically analyzed and investigated in terms of Varroa. DWV and BQCV were identified in 69.23% (18/26) and 88.46% (23/26) of the bees respectively whereas ABPV and CBPV were not detected in the sampled apiaries. Results of the phylogenetic analysis of DWV and BQCV sequences showed 94–100% similarity to DWV and BQCV isolates obtained from Genbank. Prevalence of varroasis was 89% (23/26) in Van. The obtained samples were identified as V. Varroa destructor by morphological investigation. The study showed that viral and parasitic agents commonly infect honeybees in Van province, with high prevalence rates for BQCV and DWV. There was also a high degree of conservation of DWV and BQCV sequences distinct from DWV and BQCV isolates from other geographical regions. These findings, including current prevalence and phylogenetic analysis data for DWV, BQCV and varroazis in honeybees, are useful for future studies. .

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Molecular detection and phylogenetic assessment of six honeybee viruses in Apis mellifera L. colonies in Bulgaria

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.5077 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e5077 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rositsa Shumkova ◽

Boyko Neov ◽

Daniela Sirakova ◽

Ani Georgieva ◽

Dimitar Gadjev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Severe Infection ◽

Eastern Region ◽

Sequencing Data ◽

Deformed Wing Virus ◽

Queen Cell ◽

Kashmir Bee Virus ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Paralysis Virus ◽

Bee Viruses

Honey bee colonies suffer from various pathogens, including honey bee viruses. About 24 viruses have been reported so far. However, six of them are considered to cause severe infection which inflicts heavy losses on beekeeping. The aim of this study was to investigate incidence of six honey bee viruses: deformed wing virus (DWV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), sacbrood virus (SBV), kashmir bee virus (KBV), and black queen cell virus (BQCV) by a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A total of 250 adult honey bee samples were obtained from 50 colonies from eight apiaries situated in three different parts of the country (South, North and West Bulgaria). The results showed the highest prevalence of DWV followed by SBV and ABPV, and one case of BQCV. A comparison with homology sequences available in GenBank was performed by phylogenetic analysis, and phylogenetic relationships were discussed in the context of newly described genotypes in the uninvestigated South Eastern region of Europe. In conclusion, the present study has been the first to provide sequencing data and phylogenetics analyses of some honey bee viruses in Bulgaria.

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