scholarly journals Pathogen shifts in a honeybee predator following the arrival of the Varroa mite

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1894) ◽  
pp. 20182499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Loope ◽  
James W. Baty ◽  
Philip J. Lester ◽  
Erin E. Wilson Rankin
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Genotypic Diversity ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Cascading Effects ◽  
Interacting Species ◽  
Virulent Strains ◽  
Route Of Transmission ◽  
Global Threat ◽  
Vespula Pensylvanica

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a global threat to honeybees, and spillover from managed bees threaten wider insect populations. Deformed wing virus (DWV), a widespread virus that has become emergent in conjunction with the spread of the mite Varroa destructor , is thought to be partly responsible for global colony losses. The arrival of Varroa in honeybee populations causes a dramatic loss of viral genotypic diversity, favouring a few virulent strains. Here, we investigate DWV spillover in an invasive Hawaiian population of the wasp, Vespula pensylvanica , a honeybee predator and honey-raider. We show that Vespula underwent a parallel loss in DWV variant diversity upon the arrival of Varroa , despite the mite being a honeybee specialist. The observed shift in Vespula DWV and the variant-sharing between Vespula and Apis suggest that these wasps can acquire DWV directly or indirectly from honeybees. Apis prey items collected from Vespula foragers were positive for DWV, indicating predation is a possible route of transmission. We also sought cascading effects of DWV shifts in a broader Vespula pathogen community. We identified concurrent changes in a suite of additional pathogens, as well as shifts in the associations between these pathogens in Vespula . These findings reveal how hidden effects of the Varroa mite can, via spillover, transform the composition of pathogens in interacting species, with potential knock-on effects for entire pathogen communities.

scholarly journals Pupal cannibalism by worker honey bees contributes to the spread of deformed wing virus

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Posada-Florez ◽  
Zachary S. Lamas ◽  
David J. Hawthorne ◽  
Yanping Chen ◽  
Jay D. Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
Viral Pathogen ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Hygienic Behaviour ◽  
Pathogen Virulence ◽  
Comprehensive Knowledge

AbstractTransmission routes impact pathogen virulence and genetics, therefore comprehensive knowledge of these routes and their contribution to pathogen circulation is essential for understanding host–pathogen interactions and designing control strategies. Deformed wing virus (DWV), a principal viral pathogen of honey bees associated with increased honey bee mortality and colony losses, became highly virulent with the spread of its vector, the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor. Reproduction of Varroa mites occurs in capped brood cells and mite-infested pupae from these cells usually have high levels of DWV. The removal of mite-infested pupae by worker bees, Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH), leads to cannibalization of pupae with high DWV loads, thereby offering an alternative route for virus transmission. We used genetically tagged DWV to investigate virus transmission to and between worker bees following pupal cannibalisation under experimental conditions. We demonstrated that cannibalization of DWV-infected pupae resulted in high levels of this virus in worker bees and that the acquired virus was then transmitted between bees via trophallaxis, allowing circulation of Varroa-vectored DWV variants without the mites. Despite the known benefits of hygienic behaviour, it is possible that higher levels of VSH activity may result in increased transmission of DWV via cannibalism and trophallaxis.

scholarly journals Elevated virulence of an emerging viral genotype as a driver of honeybee loss

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1833) ◽  
pp. 20160811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dino P. McMahon ◽  
Myrsini E. Natsopoulou ◽  
Vincent Doublet ◽  
Matthias Fürst ◽  
Silvio Weging ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Genetic Identity ◽  
Accurate Identification ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Species Decline ◽  
Biodiversity Crisis ◽  
Pathogen Virulence ◽  
Population Loss ◽  
Genome Wide

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) have contributed significantly to the current biodiversity crisis, leading to widespread epidemics and population loss. Owing to genetic variation in pathogen virulence, a complete understanding of species decline requires the accurate identification and characterization of EIDs. We explore this issue in the Western honeybee, where increasing mortality of populations in the Northern Hemisphere has caused major concern. Specifically, we investigate the importance of genetic identity of the main suspect in mortality, deformed wing virus (DWV), in driving honeybee loss. Using laboratory experiments and a systematic field survey, we demonstrate that an emerging DWV genotype (DWV-B) is more virulent than the established DWV genotype (DWV-A) and is widespread in the landscape. Furthermore, we show in a simple model that colonies infected with DWV-B collapse sooner than colonies infected with DWV-A. We also identify potential for rapid DWV evolution by revealing extensive genome-wide recombination in vivo . The emergence of DWV-B in naive honeybee populations, including via recombination with DWV-A, could be of significant ecological and economic importance. Our findings emphasize that knowledge of pathogen genetic identity and diversity is critical to understanding drivers of species decline.

scholarly journals Decoupling the effects of nutrition, age and behavioral caste on honey bee physiology and immunity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Corona ◽  
Belen Branchiccela ◽  
Shayne Madella ◽  
Yanping Chen ◽  
Jay Evans
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Nutritional Stress ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Immune Genes ◽  
Bee Colony ◽  
Nutrition Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Transition ◽  
Positive Correlations

AbstractNutritional stress, and especially a dearth of pollen, is considered an important factor associated with honey bee colony losses. We used pollen-restricted colonies as a model to study the nutritional stress conditions experienced in colonies within intensively cultivated agricultural areas. This model was complemented by the establishment of an experimental design, which allowed us to uncouple the effect of nutrition, behavior and age in colonies of similar size and demography. We used this system to determine the effect of pollen restriction on workers’ behavioral development. Then, we analyzed the effect of nutritional stress, behavior and age on the expression of key physiological genes involved in the regulation of division of labor. Finally, we analyzed the effects of these variables on the expression of immune genes and the titers of honey bee viruses. Our results show that pollen restriction led to an increased number of precocious foragers and this behavioral transition was associated with important changes in the expression of nutritionally regulated physiological genes, immunity and viral titers.Vitellogenin (vg)andmajor royal jelly protein1 (mrjp1)were the most predictive markers of nutrition and behavior. The expression of immune genes was primarily affected by behavior, with higher levels in foragers. Deformed wing virus (DWV) titers were significantly affected by behavior and nutritional status, with higher titer in foragers and increased levels associated with pollen ingestion. Correlation analyses support the predominant effect of behavior on immunity and susceptibility to viral infection, revealing that both immune genes and DWV exhibited strong negative correlations with genes associated with nursing, but positive correlations with genes associated with foraging. Our results provide valuable insights into the physiological mechanisms by which nutritional stress induce precocious foraging and increased susceptibility to viral infections.

scholarly journals Veterinary Diagnostic Approach of Common Virus Diseases in Adult Honeybees

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
Julia Dittes ◽  
Heike Aupperle-Lellbach ◽  
Marc O. Schäfer ◽  
Christoph K. W. Mülling ◽  
Ilka U. Emmerich
Keyword(s):  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Diagnostic Approach ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Herd Health ◽  
Virus Diseases ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Honeybee Health ◽  
Paralysis Virus

Veterinarians are educated in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases in various vertebrate species. As they are familiar with multifactorial health problems in single animals as well as in herd health management, their knowledge and skills can be beneficial for the beekeepers and honeybee health. However, in education and in practice, honeybees are not a common species for most veterinarians and the typical veterinary diagnostic methods such as blood sampling or auscultation are not applicable to the superorganism honeybee. Honeybee colonies may be affected by various biotic and abiotic factors. Among the infectious agents, RNA-viruses build the largest group, causing covert and overt infections in honeybee colonies which may lead to colony losses. Veterinarians could and should play a more substantial role in managing honeybee health—not limited to cases of notifiable diseases and official hygiene controls. This review discusses the veterinary diagnostic approach to adult bee examination with a special focus on diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the common virus diseases Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV)-Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV)-Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV)-Complex, Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV) and Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), as well as coinfections like Varroa spp. and Nosema spp.

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

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 239 ◽  
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.

Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases - Past, Present and Future

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshifumi Takeda ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
World Health ◽  
Control Law ◽  
Global Response ◽  
The Us ◽  
The World ◽  
Us Government ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Global Threat

The global threat of new infectious diseases first became widely recognized in the 1990s. The US government published a report on emerging and reemerging infectious diseases followed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which adopted the slogan "Emerging Infectious Diseases: Global Alert, Global Response" in 1997. Typical examples of the more than 30 infectious diseases emerging since 1970s are HIV/AIDS, Vibrio cholerae O139 infection, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and avian influenza. The New Infectious Diseases Control Law enacted in Japan in 1999 was to control these emerging infectious diseases and the already existing ones.

scholarly journals A Diverse Range of Novel RNA Viruses in Geographically Distinct Honey Bee Populations

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily J. Remnant ◽  
Mang Shi ◽  
Gabriele Buchmann ◽  
Tjeerd Blacquière ◽  
Edward C. Holmes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Management ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Small Rna ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Rna Viruses ◽  
Viral Diversity ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Understanding the diversity and consequences of viruses present in honey bees is critical for maintaining pollinator health and managing the spread of disease. The viral landscape of honey bees (Apis mellifera) has changed dramatically since the emergence of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, which increased the spread of virulent variants of viruses such as deformed wing virus. Previous genomic studies have focused on colonies suffering from infections by Varroa and virulent viruses, which could mask other viral species present in honey bees, resulting in a distorted view of viral diversity. To capture the viral diversity within colonies that are exposed to mites but do not suffer the ultimate consequences of the infestation, we examined populations of honey bees that have evolved naturally or have been selected for resistance to Varroa. This analysis revealed seven novel viruses isolated from honey bees sampled globally, including the first identification of negative-sense RNA viruses in honey bees. Notably, two rhabdoviruses were present in three geographically diverse locations and were also present in Varroa mites parasitizing the bees. To characterize the antiviral response, we performed deep sequencing of small RNA populations in honey bees and mites. This provided evidence of a Dicer-mediated immune response in honey bees, while the viral small RNA profile in Varroa mites was novel and distinct from the response observed in bees. Overall, we show that viral diversity in honey bee colonies is greater than previously thought, which encourages additional studies of the bee virome on a global scale and which may ultimately improve disease management. IMPORTANCE Honey bee populations have become increasingly susceptible to colony losses due to pathogenic viruses spread by parasitic Varroa mites. To date, 24 viruses have been described in honey bees, with most belonging to the order Picornavirales. Collapsing Varroa-infected colonies are often overwhelmed with high levels of picornaviruses. To examine the underlying viral diversity in honey bees, we employed viral metatranscriptomics analyses on three geographically diverse Varroa-resistant populations from Europe, Africa, and the Pacific. We describe seven novel viruses from a range of diverse viral families, including two viruses that are present in all three locations. In honey bees, small RNA sequences indicate that these viruses are processed by Dicer and the RNA interference pathway, whereas Varroa mites produce strikingly novel small RNA patterns. This work increases the number and diversity of known honey bee viruses and will ultimately contribute to improved disease management in our most important agricultural pollinator.

scholarly journals A mutualistic symbiosis between a parasitic mite and a pathogenic virus undermines honey bee immunity and health

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (12) ◽  
pp. 3203-3208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gennaro Di Prisco ◽  
Desiderato Annoscia ◽  
Marina Margiotta ◽  
Rosalba Ferrara ◽  
Paola Varricchio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
Viral Pathogen ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Mutualistic Symbiosis ◽  
Bee Colony ◽  
Parasitic Mite ◽  
Honey Bee Colony ◽  
Honey Bee Colony Losses

Honey bee colony losses are triggered by interacting stress factors consistently associated with high loads of parasites and/or pathogens. A wealth of biotic and abiotic stressors are involved in the induction of this complex multifactorial syndrome, with the parasitic mite Varroa destructor and the associated deformed wing virus (DWV) apparently playing key roles. The mechanistic basis underpinning this association and the evolutionary implications remain largely obscure. Here we narrow this research gap by demonstrating that DWV, vectored by the Varroa mite, adversely affects humoral and cellular immune responses by interfering with NF-κB signaling. This immunosuppressive effect of the viral pathogen enhances reproduction of the parasitic mite. Our experimental data uncover an unrecognized mutualistic symbiosis between Varroa and DWV, which perpetuates a loop of reciprocal stimulation with escalating negative effects on honey bee immunity and health. These results largely account for the remarkable importance of this mite–virus interaction in the induction of honey bee colony losses. The discovery of this mutualistic association and the elucidation of the underlying regulatory mechanisms sets the stage for a more insightful analysis of how synergistic stress factors contribute to colony collapse, and for the development of new strategies to alleviate this problem.

scholarly journals Cell Lines for Honey Bee Virus Research

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya Guo ◽  
Cynthia L. Goodman ◽  
David W. Stanley ◽  
Bryony C. Bonning
Keyword(s):  
Cell Line ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Antiviral Agents ◽  
Free Cell ◽  
Colony Losses ◽  
Deformed Wing Virus ◽  
Host Interaction ◽  
Potential Use

With ongoing colony losses driven in part by the Varroa mite and the associated exacerbation of virus load, there is an urgent need to protect honey bees (Apis mellifera) from fatal levels of virus infection and from nontarget effects of insecticides used in agricultural settings. A continuously replicating cell line derived from the honey bee would provide a valuable tool for study of molecular mechanisms of virus – host interaction, for screening of antiviral agents for potential use within the hive, and for assessment of the risk of current and candidate insecticides to the honey bee. However, the establishment of a continuously replicating, honey bee cell line has proved challenging. Here we provide an overview of attempts to establish primary and continuously replicating hymenopteran cell lines, methods for establishing honey bee cell lines, challenges associated with the presence of latent viruses (especially Deformed wing virus), in established cell lines and methods to establish virus-free cell lines. We also describe the potential use of honey bee cell lines in conjunction with infectious clones of honey bee viruses for examination of fundamental virology.

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