On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:35:47 EST, Chris Slade <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >I'm still unclear, if N. Ceranae doesn't cause dysentery, how the combs become contaminated. Sorry to have to just blurt it out, but the shit is all over the place. The following refers to viruses but *in my opinion* would also include bacteria, microsporidia, pathogens of any sort. > Fecal–oral transmission spreads pathogens by transferring feces of diseased hosts to uninfected hosts via ingestion and is strongly suspected in environments with overcrowded conditions. Honey bee colonies with densely crowded populations should be a favorable condition for this transmission route. > Evidence of a fecal-borne transmission route of viruses in honey bees has been provided by the detection of viruses in feces and digestive tracts of bees. Chen et al. demonstrated the presence of two viruses BQCV and DWV in the feces freshly defecated by individual queens. Among samples examined for viruses, 100% of feces samples tested positive for the presence of BQCV, and 90% of feces samples tested positive for the presence of DWV. Findings by Chen et al. were consistent with previous reports that viruses were found in the feces of worker bees. > Detection of viruses in feces of bees suggests the possibility of the existence of foodborne transmission in honey bees, where infected bees eliminate viruses in their feces and uninfected bees can be infected by feeding on feces-contaminated food or by cleaning the infected bees’ feces accumulated in the hive. > Oral infection of viruses by contaminated food can be further traced by examination of the digestive gut for virus infections. The studies showed that the same viruses found in feces were also detected in the digestive tract of the bees, providing further evidence of the ingestion of virus-contaminated food and the existence of foodborne or fecal–oral transmission routes in honey bees. Honey bee viruses. Chen YP, [log in to unmask] USDA-ARS, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705, USA. ******************************************************* * Search the BEE-L archives at: * * http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?S1=bee-l * *******************************************************