Short communication. Presence, quantification and phylogeny of Israeli acute paralysis virus of honeybees in Andalusia (Spain)

M Vicente-Rubiano,A I De Las Heras,J M Sanchez-Vizcaino,D Kukielka

doi:10.5424/sjar/2013113-3531

M Vicente-Rubiano, A I De Las Heras + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2013113-3531

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess the possible relationship between the presence of Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) of honeybees and disease symptoms development at the colony level, to describe the IAPV load in field colonies and to illustrate phylogenetic relationships between IAPV isolates in Andalusia (Spain). Presence and load of IAPV was studied in 96 colonies from all provinces in Andalusia. Epidemiological surveys were performed in all the colonies to assess their sanitary status. IAPV was found in 13.5% of the sampled colonies, and no association was observed between the presence of IAPV and disease symptoms at the colony level. An average IAPV load was established in 4.9•105 genome equivalent copies per bee. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Andalusian isolates belong to a different lineage to a previously described isolate found in Valencia (2010). The results of this study will help us understand the epidemiology and effect of IAPV on Spanish colonies.

Highlights

This study aimed to assess the possible relationship between the presence of Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) of honeybees and disease symptoms development at the colony level, to describe the IAPV load in field colonies and to illustrate phylogenetic relationships between IAPV isolates in Andalusia (Spain)
Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) of honeybees is a Dicistrovirus that was first described in 2004 in Israeli colonies that had suffered from heavy losses (Maori et al, 2007)
The high frequencies found in some countries and lack of obvious disease symptoms in most sampled colonies suggest that IAPV is a widespread virus that usually appears in covert infections, like most Dicistroviruses (De Miranda et al, 2010)

Summary

Introduction

This study aimed to assess the possible relationship between the presence of Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) of honeybees and disease symptoms development at the colony level, to describe the IAPV load in field colonies and to illustrate phylogenetic relationships between IAPV isolates in Andalusia (Spain). The high frequencies found in some countries (up to 41% in Argentina) and lack of obvious disease symptoms in most sampled colonies suggest that IAPV is a widespread virus that usually appears in covert infections, like most Dicistroviruses (De Miranda et al, 2010). Viral load may influence the development of disease symptoms, studies that differentiate the virus load causing covert and overt infections at the colony level are required.

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