Cold case: The disappearance of Egypt bee virus, a fourth distinct master strain of deformed wing virus linked to honeybee mortality in 1970’s Egypt

Authors: DE MIRANDA, JOACHIM - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences; BRETTELL, LAURA - Western Sydney University; CHEJANOVSKY, NOR - Institute Of Plant Protection - China; Childers, Anna; DALMON, ANNE - Inrae; DEBOUTTE, WARD - Max Planck Institute For Immunology & Epigenetics; DE GRAAF, DIRK - Ghent University; DOUBLET, VINCENT - University Of Exeter; GEBREMEDHN, HAFTOM - Ghent University; GENERSCH, ELKE - Freie University; GISDER, SEBASTIAN - Institute For Bee Research; GRANBERG, FREDRIK - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences; HADDAD, NIZAR - National Agricultural Research Center - Pakistan; KADEN, RENE - Swedish University; MANLEY, ROBYN - University Of Exeter; MATTHIJINSSENS, JELLE - University Of Leuven; MEEUS, IVAN - Ghent University; MIGDADI, HUSSEIN - National Agricultural Research Center - Pakistan; MILBRATH, MEGHAN - Swedish University Of Agricultural Sciences; MONDET, FANNY - Inrae; REMNANT, EMILY - University Of Sydney; ROBERTS, JOH - Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO); RYABOV, EUGENE - Non ARS Employee; SELA, NOA - Institute Of Plant Protection - China; SMAGGHE, GUY - Ghent University; SOMANATHAN, HEMA - Indian Institute Of Science; WILFERT, LENA - University Of Exeter; WRIGHT, OWEN - University Of Exeter; MARTIN, STEPHEN - Rothamsted Research; BALL, BRENDA - Rothamsted Research

Submitted to: Virology Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/31/2021
Publication Date: 1/15/2021
Citation: De Miranda, J.R., Brettell, L.E., Chejanovsky, N., Childers, A.K., Dalmon, A., Deboutte, W., De Graaf, D.C., Doublet, V., Gebremedhn, H., Genersch, E., Gisder, S., Granberg, F., Haddad, N.J., Kaden, R., Manley, R., Matthijinssens, J., Meeus, I., Migdadi, H., Milbrath, M.O., Mondet, F., Remnant, E.J., Roberts, J.M., Ryabov, E., Sela, N., Smagghe, G., Somanathan, H., Wilfert, L., Wright, O.N., Martin, S.J., Ball, B.V. 2021. Cold case: The disappearance of Egypt bee virus, a fourth distinct master strain of deformed wing virus linked to honeybee mortality in 1970’s Egypt. Virology Journal. 19:12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-022-01740-2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-022-01740-2

Interpretive Summary: In 1977, a sample of diseased adult honeybees (Apis mellifera) from Egypt was found to contain large amounts of a previously unknown virus, Egypt bee virus, which was subsequently shown to be serologically related to deformed wing virus (DWV). By sequencing the original isolate, we demonstrate that Egypt bee virus is in fact a fourth unique, major variant of DWV (DWV-D): more closely related to DWV-C than to either DWV-A or DWV-B. DWV-A and DWV-B are the most common DWV variants worldwide due to their close relationship and transmission by Varroa destructor. However, we could not find any trace of DWV-D in several hundred RNA sequencing libraries from a worldwide selection of honeybee, varroa and bumblebee samples. This means that DWV-D has either become extinct, been replaced by other DWV variants better adapted to varroa-mediated transmission, or persists only in a narrow geographic or host range, isolated from common bee and beekeeping trade routes.

Technical Abstract: In 1977, a sample of diseased adult honeybees (Apis mellifera) from Egypt was found to contain large amounts of a previously unknown virus, Egypt bee virus, which was subsequently shown to be serologically related to deformed wing virus (DWV). By sequencing the original isolate, we demonstrate that Egypt bee virus is in fact a fourth unique, major variant of DWV (DWV-D): more closely related to DWV-C than to either DWV-A or DWV-B. DWV-A and DWV-B are the most common DWV variants worldwide due to their close relationship and transmission by Varroa destructor. However, we could not find any trace of DWV-D in several hundred RNA sequencing libraries from a worldwide selection of honeybee, varroa and bumblebee samples. This means that DWV-D has either become extinct, been replaced by other DWV variants better adapted to varroa-mediated transmission, or persists only in a narrow geographic or host range, isolated from common bee and beekeeping trade routes.