A three-year survey of honey bee viruses in Lithuania

Abstract

Six honey bee viruses, acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Kashmir bee virus (KBV), deformed wing virus (DWV), sacbrood virus (SBV), and black queen cell virus (BQCV), were studied in Lithuanian honey bees using molecular methods. Our three-year study (2012–2014) revealed an increase in virus-infected colonies from 66.2% in 2012 to 90.6% in 2014. BQCV and SBV were the most widespread viruses, with higher prevalence in summer compared to autumn. The prevalence of DWV was lower compared to other European countries, while ABPV and IAPV were not detected at all, suggesting much less spread compared to western EU countries. A single colony was infected by KBV. A decrease in single virus infections and increase in multiple infections during the three-year period was revealed. BQCV and SBV were most commonly involved in multiple infections. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the partial polyprotein gene sequences of the viruses detected in Lithuanian honey bee colonies were closely related to those of viruses recorded in European countries, e.g., Belgium, Germany, Hungary and the UK. Two European and Asian geographically separated genotypes of both SBV and DWV in honey bee populations were also revealed.