A survey of deformed wing virus and acute bee paralysis virus in honey bee colonies from Serbia using real-time RT-PCR

Abstract

In this study 55 honey bee colonies from different Serbian regions were monitored for the presence of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) and Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV) using TaqMan-based real-time RT-PCR assay. The results revealed the presence of DWV in each sampling location, and ABPV in 10 out of 11 apiaries. High frequency of DWV (76.4%) and ABPV (61.8%) positive samples in asymptomatic colonies can be the consequence of inefficient and postponed Varroa treatment concerning the role of this mite in the transmission and activation of honey bee viruses. The real-time RTPCR technique described in this paper is proved to be the most reliable method for this kind of investigation.

Ovo istraživanje je obuhvatilo utvrđivanje prisustva virusa deformacije krila (DWV) i virusa akutne paralize pčela (ABPV) u 55 pčelinjih društava poreklom iz različitih delova teritorije Srbije, upotrebom 'real-time RT-PCR' metode bazirane na 'TaqMan' probama. Rezultati pokazuju prisustvo DWV na svakom ispitivanom lokalitetu, dok je ABPV bio prisutan u 10 od 11 ispitivanih pčelinjaka. Imajući u vidu ulogu ektoparazita Varroa destructor u prenošenju i aktivaciji pčelinjih virusa, visoka učestalost uzoraka pozitivnih na DWV (76,4%) i ABPV (61,8%) u asimptomatskim pčelinjim društvima može biti posledica nedovoljno efikasnog i zakasnelog tretmana protiv ove grinje. 'Realtime RT-PCR' metoda, opisana u ovom radu se pokazala kao najpogodnija metoda za ovakvu vrstu istraživanja.