Detection of honey bee viruses in apiaries in Southern Brazil through two standardized multiplex RT-PCR

Abstract

Viruses are responsible for several diseases in animals and have also been linked to the drastic decrease in the number of bee hives worldwide. Considering the necessity to diagnose honey bee viruses, we developed and standardized two multiplex RT-PCRs. We evaluated the presence of six viruses described in Africanized Apis mellifera bees: Deformed wing virus (DWV), Sacbrood bee virus (SBV), Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), and Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV). Therefore, 164 samples of honey bees were collected in 27 apiaries of 12 municipalities in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. Among the 12 municipalities evaluated, five presented positive samples for BQCV, ABPV and DWV. Cases of co-infection by ABPV and BQCV and BQCV and DWV were observed in both states. In all apiaries with positive samples for viruses, Varroa destructor mite was reported or found. These results demonstrate the high occurrence of BQCV (36%) and the presence of ABPV (3%) and DWV (1%) in apiaries in Rio Grande do Sul, as well as in an apiary in Santa Catarina (75% BQCV and 12% DWV). The results confirm the circulation of these viruses in adult Africanized honey bees in southern Brazil, a factor that may be involved with the decline in the number of honey bees in this region of the country.

Keywords:

• Apis mellifera
• Africanized honey bee
• multiplex RT-PCR
• black queen cell virus
• deformed wing virus
• acute bee paralysis virus

Acknowledgements

We thank to EMBRAPA Clima Temperado and EMATER/RS by collaborating during the sample collections.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.