Deformed wing virus of honey bees is inactivated by cold plasma ionized hydrogen peroxide

Authors: Cook, Steven; RYABOV, EUGENE - Orise Fellow; BECKER, CHRISTIAN - Arkema; Rogers, Curtis; Posada-Florez, Francisco; Evans, Jay; Chen, Yanping - Judy

Submitted to: Frontiers in Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/18/2023
Publication Date: 8/2/2023
Citation: Cook, S.C., Ryabov, E., Becker, C., Rogers, C.W., Posada-Florez, F.J., Evans, J.D., Chen, Y. 2023. Deformed wing virus of honey bees is inactivated by cold plasma ionized hydrogen peroxide . Frontiers in Insect Science. 3. Article e1216291. https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2023.1216291.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2023.1216291

Interpretive Summary: Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a widespread pathogen of Apis mellifera honey bees. DWV is now considered by many as a major causative factor leading to eventual collapse of highly infected honey bee colonies. Methods and products are lacking that treat DWV infection in honey bees and whole colonies. DWV can be horizontally transmitted via virus-vectoring honey bee ectoparasitic mites, Varroa destructor, and through an oral route by cleaning of external body parts by individual honey bees, and from trophallaxis, or food sharing, among honey bees. DWV particles may remain viable outside of a host on in-hive substrates for extended periods, thus continued infection of honey bees remains a possibility even in the absence of vectoring Varroa mites. Ionized Hydrogen Peroxide (iHP) is the process of treating low concentration hydrogen peroxide mist with cold plasma, and iHP is routinely used to disinfect clean rooms of all microbial contaminants. This study investigated the use of iHP to reduce the infectivity of DWV particles by exposing viral particles placed in situ on solid substrates to iHP. Treated DWV particles were 1000-fold times less infectious when injected into naïve honey bee pupae than DWV particles receiving a sham treatment. Other methods to decrease infectivity of honey bee viruses include gamma irradiation and ozone, both of which are more hazardous than exposure to iHP. Thus, treatment of DWV contaminated honey bee hive substrates with ionized hydrogen peroxide mist, even with honey bees present, may be an effective way to reduce prevalence, and thus the negative effects of DWV infection on honey bees.

Technical Abstract: Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a widespread pathogen of Apis mellifera honey bees. DWV is now considered by many as a major causative factor leading to eventual collapse of infected honey bee colonies. Post-infection viral treatments and preventatives are not yet available for DWV and infected honey bees, respectively, and treatments against harmful Varroa mites have mixed efficacy against viral pathogenicity once colonies become highly infected. DWV can be horizontally transmitted via virus-vectoring honey bee ectoparasitic mites, Varroa destructor, and orally through cleaning of external body parts by individual honey bees, and from trophallaxis among honey bees. DWV particles may remain viable outside of a host on in-hive substrates for extended periods, thus continued infection of resident honey bees remains a possibility even in the absence of vectoring Varroa mites. This study investigated the use of ionized Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) (iHP) against infectivity of DWV particles in situ on solid substrates. Ionized Hydrogen Peroxide is created by treating a low concentration hydrogen peroxide mist with cold plasma and is used extensively to clean surfaces of all microbial contaminants. Treated DWV particles were 1000-fold times less infectious when injected into naïve honey bee pupae than DWV particles receiving a sham treatment. iHP treatment to disinfect viruses is simpler and safer than other studied methods, such as gamma irradiation. Treatment of possible DWV contaminated honey bee hive substrates with ionized hydrogen peroxide mist, even with honey bees present, may be an effective way to reduce prevalence, and thus the negative effects of DWV infection on honey bees.