Viruses Attacking the Honey Bee

Abstract

Publisher Summary Honey bee viruses possess small unenclosed particles containing ribonucleic acid (RNA). Each known type of virus native to bees may represent a group of related but distinguishable strains that differ in certain ways, including their virulence for any one strain of bee. Different virus strains may also vary in host range. Two of the diseases of bees caused by viruses have been recognized since the beginning of the century. One of them is sacbrood of the larval bee that is caused by a “filterable virus” and was one of the first virus diseases to be identified in insects. The second disease, paralysis of the adult bee, is caused by a filterable virus, but the agents causing these diseases were identified until much later. This chapter describes the methods of identification, properties, virus multiplication, and spread of infection of several honey bee virus. These viruses include sacbrood virus, chronic bee-paralysis virus, acute bee-paralysis virus, Arkansas bee virus, bee virus X, slow-paralysis virus, and Nodamura virus. Several other possible bee viruses such as particles associated with “Shiny-Black” disease and a possible satellite virus are also described in the chapter. The mechanisms that prevent the viruses from multiplying and attacking may differ in the host.