For your information.

Abstract
>Few areas of the world have western honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies
that are free of invasive parasites Nosema ceranae (fungi) and Varroa
destructor (mites). Particularly detrimental is V. destructor; in addition
to feeding on host haemolymph, these mites are important vectors of several
viruses that are further implicated as contributors to honey bee mortality
around the world. Thus, the biogeography and attendant consequences of viral
communities in the absence of V. destructor are of significant interest. 

>The island of Newfoundland, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada,
is free of V. destructor; the absence of N. ceranae has not been confirmed.
Of 55 Newfoundland colonies inspected visually for their strength and six
signs of disease, only K-wing had prevalence above 5% (40/55 colonies =
72.7%). Similar to an earlier study, screenings again confirmed the absence
of V. destructor, small hive beetles Aethina tumida (Murray), tracheal mites
Acarapis woodi (Rennie), and Tropilaelaps spp. ectoparasitic mites. Of a
subset of 23 colonies screened molecularly for viruses, none had Israeli
acute paralysis virus, Kashmir bee virus, or sacbrood virus. Sixteen of 23
colonies (70.0%) were positive for black queen cell virus, and 21 (91.3%)
had some evidence for deformed wing virus. 

>No N. ceranae was detected in molecular screens of 55 colonies, although it
is possible extremely low intensity infections exist; the more familiar N.
apis was found in 53 colonies (96.4%). Under these conditions, K-wing was
associated (positively) with colony strength; however, viruses and N. apis
were not. Furthermore, black queen cell virus was positively and negatively
associated with K-wing and deformed wing virus, respectively. 

>Newfoundland honey bee colonies are thus free of several invasive parasites
that plague operations in other parts of the world, and they provide a
unique research arena to study independent pathology of the parasites that
are present.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0098599

'Honey Bee Apis mellifera Parasites in the Absence of Nosema ceranae Fungi
and Varroa destructor Mites'
Dave Shutler, Krista Head, Karen L. Burgher-MacLellan, Megan J. Colwell,
Abby L. Levitt, Nancy Ostiguy, 
Published: June 23, 2014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098599

Kind regards,

Ghislain De Roeck,
Blgium.

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