* The connection between viruses and colony collapse was identified decades ago. 

There was a progressive increase in APV incidence towards the end of summer, so that by September all adult bee samples from the German colonies in the medium and high infestation categories contained much APV. This coincided with a sharp decline in both the adult bee and brood population in these colonies which occurred from July onwards

The impact of V. jacobsoni on honey bee colonies in areas of mite infestation is therefore closely linked to  APV and possibly other similarly transmitted viruses. Any strategy designed to control the mite and reduce its damaging effect must also take into account the incidence and prevalence of associated infections by pathogenic agents.

The prevalence of pathogens in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies infested with the parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni
BYB. V. BALL AND M. F. ALLEN (Accepted 25 March 1988)


* New research has only added to our understanding of how serious virus infection is.

Possible impact of RNA recombination and reciprocal mobilization on genome dynamics and evolution

The potential impact of viral RNA recombination on viral as well as host evolution, disease severity and avoidance of the host immune system has been discussed at length ..  The abundance of viral RNA and transcripts of some host genes, and the template-switching capacity of both reverse transcriptases and the viral replicases may enable RNA recombination and insertion into the host as well as the viral genomes. Bi-directional RNA mobilization may lead to dual co-evolution of host and virus.


Reciprocal sequence exchange between non-retro viruses and hosts leading to the appearance of new host phenotypes. by Eyal Maori, Edna Tanne, Ilan Sela (accepted 22 November 2006)

AND

Until the late 1980s, specific viral infections of the honey bee were generally considered harmless in all countries. Then, with the worldwide introduction of the ectoparasite mite Varroa destructor, beekeepers encountered increasing difficulties in maintaining their colonies. research on CCD in the USA [45, 83] and non-CCD winter losses in Germany [118] revealed an intricate relationship between the members of the ABPV-KBV-IAPV complex and V. destructor leading to increased virulence of these viruses in mite infested colonies  ... Attempts to control mite infestation levels by breeding for mite tolerance or by selecting mite tolerant bees that developed “naturally” have been performed but are not satisfying so far.

Emerging and re-emerging viruses of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) Elke Genersch and Michel Aubert (accepted 26 April 2010)


Peter Loring Borst
Ithaca  NY USA
peterloringborst.com
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