Presence and distribution of honeybee viruses in spanish colonies
Oral communication in BEE DOC workshop-Diagnostics in honeybees: from sampling to data analyses
August 31st, 2010
Vicente-Rubiano M., Kukielka D. and Sanchez-Vizcaino JM.
In the recent years the number of honeybees Apis mellifera has decreased dramatically in a worldwide phenomena called Collony Collapse Disorder (CCD).The direct importance of the honeybee productions and the indirect effect of this insect as a pollinator of the main crops in USA and UE, where Spain is the first honey producer, has provided numerous studies of CCD. However, the causes of this syndrome are still unknown, although most authors point a multifactorial problem where pathogens play an important role. Among which, viruses are the most unknown and their presence in CCD events alone or in co- infection with other pathogens such as Varroa and Nosema need further researches. The aim of this work was to perform the first epidemiological description of the presence of honeybee viruses in Spain and their relationship with CCD and other honeybee pathogens. On the one hand, different real time RT-PCR-based procedures developed or adapted by us were used to analyze the presence of 7 viruses (Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV), Sacbrood Virus (SBV), Kashmeer Bee Virus (KBV), Chronic and Acute Paralysis Virus (CBPV and ABPV respectively) and Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV)), finding most of them in the Spanish bee colonies. DWV was the most prevalent virus and was highly detected in co-infection with BQCV. Besides, the presence of IAPV was described for the first time in Spain. To update and complete information, new samplings and analysis were performed this year, detecting other IAPV positive samples in the South of Spain.
On the other hand, results were interpreted with the epidemiological survey information of each sample so as to relate the presence of these viruses alone or in co-infection with other pathogens with the CCD. This work could be useful for the implementation of surveillance programs to control bee losses in Spain
 | Servicio de Inmunología Viral y Medicina Preventiva (SUAT). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
| Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). |
Link to BEE DOC workshop-Diagnostics in honeybees: from sampling to data analyses
