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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Baton Rouge, Louisiana » Honey Bee Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #300286
Title: Chronic bee paralysis virus and Nosema ceranae experimental co-infection of winter honey bee workers (Apis mellifera L.)

Author
item TOPLAK, IVAN - Agricultural Institute Of Slovenia
item CIGLENECKI, URŠKA - University Of Ljubljana
item Aronstein, Katherine
item GREGORC, ALEŠ - University Of Ljubljana

Submitted to: Viruses
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2014
Publication Date: 9/14/2014
Citation: Toplak, I., Ciglenecki, U.J., Aronstein, K.A., Gregorc, A. 2014. Chronic bee paralysis virus and Nosema ceranae experimental co-infection of winter honey bee workers (Apis mellifera L.). Viruses. 5(9):2282-2297.

Interpretive Summary: Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) is an important viral disease of adult bees which induces significant losses in honey bee colonies. In this study winter worker bees were experimentally infected using three different experiments. Bees were inoculated orally or topically with CBPV field strain M92/2010 to evaluate the level of virus replication in individual bees. In addition, potential synergistic effects of CBPV and Nosema ceranae on bees were investigated using small cage experiments. Data were analyzed using quantitative real time RT-PCR. Our results revealed successful replication of CBPV after oral inoculation, while it was less effective when bees were inoculated topically. The co-infection of workers with CBPV and N. ceranae using either method of virus inoculation showed increased replication ability for CBPV independently of the inoculation method, suggesting synergistic effect between CBPV and N. ceranae. The highest level of bee mortality was observed in bees inoculated with CBPV orally, followed by workers simultaneously inoculated with CBPV and N. ceranae, then bees inoculated with CBPV topically or with N. ceranae inoculated orally.

Technical Abstract: Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) is an important viral disease of adult bees which induces significant losses in honey bee colonies. In this study winter worker bees were experimentally infected using three different experiments. Bees were inoculated orally or topically with CBPV to evaluate the level of virus replication in individual bees. In addition, potential synergistic effects of CBPV and Nosema ceranae on bees were investigated using small cage experiments. Data were analyzed using quantitative real time RT-PCR. Our results revealed successful replication of CBPV after oral inoculation, while it was less effective when bees were inoculated topically. The co-infection of workers with CBPV and N. ceranae using either method of virus inoculation showed increased replication ability for CBPV independently of the inoculation method, suggesting synergistic effect between CBPV and N. ceranae. The highest level of bee mortality was observed in bees inoculated with CBPV orally, followed by workers simultaneously inoculated with CBPV and N. ceranae, then bees inoculated with CBPV topically or with N. ceranae inoculated orally.