ARS | Publication request: The presence of Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus infection in Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in the U.S.

Submitted to: Journal of Apiculture Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: April 10, 2011
Publication Date: May 30, 2011
Citation: Chen, Y., Evans, J.D., Pettis, J.S. 2011. The presence of chronic bee paralysis virus infection in honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in the U.S.. Journal of Apiculture Research. 50:85-86.

Interpretive Summary: Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) is a disease agent that causes characteristic “paralysis” symptoms in adult honey bees. So far there is no published paper documenting CBPV infection in the United States. Here we present evidence of CBPV infection in the U.S. population of adult honey bees based on molecular methods with the goal of increasing our understanding of virus diversity in the U.S. The results have relevance to scientists, regulators, and beekeepers seeking to mitigate recent bee losses.

Technical Abstract: The presence of Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) infection in the U.S. is reported for the first time. Using molecular methods, the evidence of infection of honey bees with CBPV has been detected in both symptomatic and asymptomatic bees. While our seven year’s survey showed that the CBPV infection in the U.S. was sporadic, the isolates of CBPV in the U.S. cluster together phylogenetically and distantly separate from European isolates.