http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1002735

Synergistic Parasite-Pathogen Interactions Mediated by Host Immunity Can
Drive the Collapse of Honeybee Colonies

Abstract Top<http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1002735#top>

The health of the honeybee and, indirectly, global crop production are
threatened by several biotic and abiotic factors, which play a poorly
defined role in the induction of widespread colony losses. Recent
descriptive studies suggest that colony losses are often related to the
interaction between pathogens and other stress factors, including
parasites. Through an integrated analysis of the population and molecular
changes associated with the collapse of honeybee colonies infested by the
parasitic mite *Varroa destructor*, we show that this parasite can
de-stabilise the within-host dynamics of Deformed wing virus (DWV),
transforming a cryptic and vertically transmitted virus into a rapidly
replicating killer, which attains lethal levels late in the season. The
de-stabilisation of DWV infection is associated with an immunosuppression
syndrome, characterized by a strong down-regulation of the transcription
factor NF-κB. The centrality of NF-κB in host responses to a range of
environmental challenges suggests that this transcription factor can act as
a common currency underlying colony collapse that may be triggered by
different causes. Our results offer an integrated account for the
multifactorial origin of honeybee losses and a new framework for assessing,
and possibly mitigating, the impact of environmental challenges on honeybee
health.

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