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Seasonal variation of viral infections between the eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) and the western honey bee (Apis mellifera). 2021

Gongwen Chen, and Yuqi Wu, and Jie Deng, and Zhengsheng Wen, and Shuai Wang, and Yanping Chen, and Fuliang Hu, and Huoqing Zheng
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.

It is a widespread practice in China to keep colonies of both the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, and the eastern honey bee, Apis cerana, in close proximity. However, this practice increases opportunities for spillover of parasites and pathogens between the two host bee species, impacting spatial and temporal patterns in the occurrence and prevalence of the viruses that adversely affect bee health. We conducted a 1-year large-scale survey to assess the current status of viral infection in both A. mellifera and A. cerana in China. Our study focused on multiple aspects of viral infections in honey bees, including infection rate, viral load, seasonal variation, regional variation, and phylogenetic relationships of the viruses within the same species found in this study and other parts of the world. The survey showed that the black queen cell virus (BQCV), deformed wing virus (DWV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), and sacbrood virus (SBV) were common in both A. mellifera and A. cerana, and infection dynamics of BQCV, DWV, and SBV between bee species or seasons were significantly different. DWV was the most common virus in A. mellifera, and its infection rate and load in A. mellifera were higher than those in A. cerana, which reflects the high susceptibility of A. mellifera to Varroa destructor infestation. The infection rate and viral load of SBV were higher in A. cerana than in A. mellifera, indicating that SBV poses a greater threat to A. cerana than to A. mellifera. Our results also suggested that there was no geographical variation in viral dynamics in A. mellifera and A. cerana. Phylogenetic analyses of BQCV, DWV, IAPV, and SBV suggested the cross-regional and cross-species spread of these viruses. This study provides important insights into the complex relationships between viruses and their hosts in different seasons and regions, which will be important for developing effective disease management strategies to improve bee health.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010802 Phylogeny The relationships of groups of organisms as reflected by their genetic makeup. Community Phylogenetics,Molecular Phylogenetics,Phylogenetic Analyses,Phylogenetic Analysis,Phylogenetic Clustering,Phylogenetic Comparative Analysis,Phylogenetic Comparative Methods,Phylogenetic Distance,Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares,Phylogenetic Groups,Phylogenetic Incongruence,Phylogenetic Inference,Phylogenetic Networks,Phylogenetic Reconstruction,Phylogenetic Relatedness,Phylogenetic Relationships,Phylogenetic Signal,Phylogenetic Structure,Phylogenetic Tree,Phylogenetic Trees,Phylogenomics,Analyse, Phylogenetic,Analysis, Phylogenetic,Analysis, Phylogenetic Comparative,Clustering, Phylogenetic,Community Phylogenetic,Comparative Analysis, Phylogenetic,Comparative Method, Phylogenetic,Distance, Phylogenetic,Group, Phylogenetic,Incongruence, Phylogenetic,Inference, Phylogenetic,Method, Phylogenetic Comparative,Molecular Phylogenetic,Network, Phylogenetic,Phylogenetic Analyse,Phylogenetic Clusterings,Phylogenetic Comparative Analyses,Phylogenetic Comparative Method,Phylogenetic Distances,Phylogenetic Group,Phylogenetic Incongruences,Phylogenetic Inferences,Phylogenetic Network,Phylogenetic Reconstructions,Phylogenetic Relatednesses,Phylogenetic Relationship,Phylogenetic Signals,Phylogenetic Structures,Phylogenetic, Community,Phylogenetic, Molecular,Phylogenies,Phylogenomic,Reconstruction, Phylogenetic,Relatedness, Phylogenetic,Relationship, Phylogenetic,Signal, Phylogenetic,Structure, Phylogenetic,Tree, Phylogenetic
D002681 China A country spanning from central Asia to the Pacific Ocean. Inner Mongolia,Manchuria,People's Republic of China,Sinkiang,Mainland China
D005843 Geography The science dealing with the earth and its life, especially the description of land, sea, and air and the distribution of plant and animal life, including humanity and human industries with reference to the mutual relations of these elements. (From Webster, 3d ed) Factor, Geographic,Factors, Geographic,Geographic Factor,Geographic Factors,Geography, Human,Human Geography
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001516 Bees Insect members of the superfamily Apoidea, found almost everywhere, particularly on flowers. About 3500 species occur in North America. They differ from most WASPS in that their young are fed honey and pollen rather than animal food. Apidae,Apis,Apis mellifera,Apis mellifica,European Honey Bee,Honey Bee Drone,Bee,Bee, European Honey,Drone, Honey Bee,European Honey Bees,Honey Bee Drones,Honey Bee, European
D012328 RNA Viruses Viruses whose genetic material is RNA. RNA Rodent Viruses,RNA Rodent Virus,RNA Virus,Rodent Virus, RNA,Rodent Viruses, RNA,Virus, RNA,Virus, RNA Rodent,Viruses, RNA,Viruses, RNA Rodent
D012621 Seasons Divisions of the year according to some regularly recurrent phenomena usually astronomical or climatic. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Seasonal Variation,Season,Seasonal Variations,Variation, Seasonal,Variations, Seasonal
D014777 Virus Diseases A general term for diseases caused by viruses. Viral Diseases,Viral Infections,Virus Infections,Disease, Viral,Disease, Virus,Diseases, Viral,Diseases, Virus,Infection, Viral,Infection, Virus,Infections, Viral,Infections, Virus,Viral Disease,Viral Infection,Virus Disease,Virus Infection
D056629 Dicistroviridae A family of invertebrate RNA viruses in the order Picornavirales. IAPVOB,Israeli acute paralysis virus of bees,Cripavirus,Israeli acute paralysis virus,Cripaviruses
D019562 Viral Load The quantity of measurable virus in a body fluid. Change in viral load, measured in plasma, is sometimes used as a SURROGATE MARKER in disease progression. Viral Burden,Virus Titer,Burden, Viral,Load, Viral,Titer, Virus

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