Black queen cell virus and drifting of honey bee workers (<i>Apis mellifera</i>)

Retschnig, Gina; Kellermann, Liv A.; Mehmann, Marion M.; Yañez, Orlando; Winiger, Pius; Williams, Geoffrey R.; Neumann, Peter

doi:10.1080/00218839.2019.1655133

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…According to Tentcheva et al [135], BQCV does not cause visible symptoms of infection in adult worker bees, but it does persist chronically through horizontal transmission between workers and from workers to larvae when they are fed [39]. Although this virus mainly affects queen breeders [49], recent studies have suggested that high viral loads could compromise the orientation ability of honey bees, increasing drift [111]. This virus was reported in Argentina by Sguazza et al [126], who analyzed samples from all over the country.…”

Section: Black Queen Cell Virus (Bqcv)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Viruses that affect Argentinian honey bees (Apis mellifera)

et al. 2021

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Beekeeping is a widespread activity in Argentina, mainly producing honey that has gained both national and international recognition. There are more than 3,000,000 hives in the country, mainly concentrated in Buenos Aires Province (approximately 1,000,000 hives). In recent decades, worrying rates of hive loss have been observed in many countries around the world. In Latin America, the estimated loss of hives is between 13% (Peru and Ecuador) and 53% (Chile). Argentina had annual losses of 34% for the period of October 1, 2016 to October 1, 2017. The causes of these losses are not clear but probably involve multiple stressors that can act simultaneously. One of the main causes of loss of bee colonies worldwide is infestation by the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor in combination with viral infections. To date, 10 viruses have been detected that affect honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Argentina. Of these, deformed wing virus, sacbrood virus, acute bee paralysis virus, chronic bee paralysis virus, and Israeli acute bee paralysis can be transmitted by mites. Deformed wing virus and the AIK complex are the viruses most often associated with loss of hives worldwide. Considering that bee viruses have been detected in Argentina in several hymenopteran and non-hymenopteran insects, these hosts could act as important natural reservoirs for viruses and play an important role in their dispersal in the environment. Further studies to investigate the different mechanisms by which viruses spread in the environment will enable us to develop various strategies for the control of infected colonies and the spread of viruses in the habitat where they are found.

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Section: Black Queen Cell Virus (Bqcv)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Viruses that affect Argentinian honey bees (Apis mellifera)

et al. 2021

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“…Black queen cell virus (BQCV), as implied by its name, affects developing queens and causes mortality in young queens. There has been recent evidence of BQCV affecting worker honey bees, whereby workers drifting from their home colony had significantly higher levels of BQCV ( Retschnig et al 2019 ). BQCV does not have the same relationship with varroa as DWV, and whereas there is much evidence linking DWV with wintering losses, there is less evidence that BQCV is strongly correlated with it ( Natsopoulou et al 2017 , Borba et al 2022 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Treatment of waxborne honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) viruses using time, temperature, and electron-beam irradiation

Colwell,

Pernal,

Currie

2024

Journal of Economic Entomology

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Viruses are one of many serious threats to honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health. There are many transmission routes for honey bee viruses, and there is potential for wax comb to act as a reservoir for transmission of viruses. Some work has been done on treating viruses on wax, focusing on irradiation as a potential treatment. However, irradiation is not universally available or economically viable for beekeepers in many regions. With increased colony deaths over winter beekeepers potentially risk further loss from reusing contaminated equipment from dead colonies. Here we explored the use of storage time and temperature on the reduction of waxborne virus levels from winter loss colony wax over 30 days and at −20, 5, and 20 °C. Furthermore, because irradiation has previously worked against waxborne viruses, we performed a dosage experiment with electron-beam irradiation. Winter loss wax was again used, and exposed to 10, 25, 35, and 45 kGy irradiation, including a nonirradiated transport control. Storage time decreased abundance of black queen cell virus and deformed wing virus at times equal or greater than 30 days but temperatures had no significant effect on virus levels. All irradiation doses decreased virus abundance and prevalence, yet only 35 and 45 kGy did so at a greater rate than the effect of transport alone.

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“…Imported bee packages containing viral agents may act as a source of infection for other colonies in the surrounding area (horizontal transmission). The viral particles can be horizontally transmitted in different ways, such as when an infected bee drifts from its own colony to another [ 7 ], contact between bees during robbing or while foraging in common food sources [ 8 ], and also by human activity, when contaminated material is shared between colonies and apiaries [ 8 ]. The international trade of queens, in addition, allows the introduction of viral agents inside the recipient colonies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Honey Bee Virus Transmission via Hive Products

Schittny

Yañez

Neumann

2020

Veterinary Sciences

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The global trade of honey bee hive products has raised concern about pathogen transmission. However, the efficacy of hive products as virus vehicles is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the transmission capacity of hive products for Deformed wing virus genotype A (DWV-A) in a fully-crossed hoarding cage experiment and estimated the transmission risk by screening commercial products. Western honey bee workers were provided with honey, pollen and wax either contaminated with high (~2 × 109), medium (~1.7 × 108), low (~8 × 106) or zero (control) DWV-A genome copies. For 10 days, mortality was monitored. Then, virus titers were quantified in bee heads and 38 commercial products using RT-qPCR. For honey and pollen, a positive association between DWV-A concentration and mortality was observed. High concentrations always resulted in infections, medium ones in 47% of cases and low ones in 20% of cases. No significant difference was observed between the tested products. In commercial honey and pollen, 7.7 × 102–1.8 × 105 and 1.4 × 103–1.3 × 104 DWV-A copies per gram were found, respectively. The results show that DWV-A transmission via hive products is feasible. The risk of introducing novel viruses and/or strains should be considered in trade regulations by including virus analyses for health certificates of hive products

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Black queen cell virus and drifting of honey bee workers (Apis mellifera)

Abstract: Note Black queen cell virus and drifting of honey bee workers

Cited by 7 publications

References 7 publications

Viruses that affect Argentinian honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Viruses that affect Argentinian honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Treatment of waxborne honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) viruses using time, temperature, and electron-beam irradiation

Honey Bee Virus Transmission via Hive Products

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