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Preparation of Virus-Enriched Inoculum for Oral Infection of Honey Bees Apis mellifera
Published on: August 26, 2020
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Adaptation to vector-based transmission in a honeybee virus.
Amanda M Norton1, Emily J Remnant1, Jolanda Tom2
1Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution (BEE) Laboratory, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
The Journal of Animal Ecology
|April 12, 2021
Summary
Global pollinator declines are a major concern. Varroa destructor mites impact honeybee health by spreading Deformed wing virus (DWV). This study reveals DWV genotype B persists independently of mite levels, unlike genotype A.
Area of Science:
- * Entomology
- * Virology
- * Apiculture
Background:
- * Global pollinator declines pose significant ecological and agricultural risks.
- * Emerging infectious diseases threaten managed honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations.
- * The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is a primary vector for detrimental RNA viruses like Deformed wing virus (DWV) in honeybees.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the role of vector transmission by Varroa destructor in the prevalence of Deformed wing virus (DWV) genotypes A and B.
- * To determine the influence of mite infestation levels on the relative abundance of DWV-A and DWV-B within honeybee colonies.
- * To elucidate the factors contributing to the increasing global prevalence of DWV-B.
Main Methods:
- * Experimental manipulation of Varroa destructor mite loads in honeybee colonies.
- * Longitudinal monitoring of Deformed wing virus (DWV) genotypes A and B RNA loads over 10 months.
- * Correlation analysis between mite infestation levels and viral loads for each DWV genotype.
Main Results:
- * Deformed wing virus (DWV)-A accumulation was positively correlated with Varroa destructor mite numbers and largely absent without mites.
- * Deformed wing virus (DWV)-B maintained high loads in honeybee colonies irrespective of mite infestation levels.
- * DWV-B demonstrated persistence and high viral loads even in mite-free or treated colonies, indicating a vector-independent advantage.
Conclusions:
- * The increasing prevalence of DWV-B is not solely driven by selective pressure from Varroa destructor mite vectoring.
- * DWV-B possesses an intrinsic ability to persist and replicate at high levels within honeybee colonies, independent of mite presence.
- * The interaction dynamics between Varroa destructor mites and DWV genotypes have significant implications for honeybee health and potential viral spillover to other pollinator species.
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