狄斯瓦螨和蜜蜂残翅病毒对蜜蜂健康的协同影响

世界各地大范围的西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera蜂群损失现象已引起科学界和公众的持续关注。狄斯瓦螨Varroa destructor和蜜蜂残翅病毒(Deformed wing virus,DWV)是西方蜜蜂群中最主要的两大生物威胁。尽管二者侵害蜜蜂均已有较长历史,但直至近十年来的研究才发现两者间的协同效应对蜂群健康的影响远超过其单独作用时所造成的危害:(1)蜜蜂残翅病毒可在狄斯瓦螨体内大量复制,继而进一步传播;(2)狄斯瓦螨的刺吸行为使病毒粒子跨越寄主的生理屏障而直接进入蜜蜂血淋巴;(3)狄斯瓦螨的寄生促使蜜蜂残翅病毒的高毒力毒株在蜂群中优势扩增和盛行;(4)狄斯瓦螨影响蜜蜂个体发育与免疫系统等生理机能,以致降低了蜂群对病毒的抵抗力;(5)蜜蜂残翅病毒对宿主造成的免疫抑制有利于狄斯瓦螨的寄生与繁殖。狄斯瓦螨、蜜蜂残翅病毒和西方蜜蜂间的关系已经成为昆虫外寄生物、病原体与寄主相互作用研究的一个典型模型。本文对近十年该领域的相关研究进行综述,以期为蜂群损失的原因调查以及昆虫寄生虫、病原微生物与寄主间关系的研究提供参考和借鉴。     

狄斯瓦螨与蜜蜂的寄生关系

蜜蜂Apis spp.是重要的经济昆虫,也是研究最为深入和广泛的社会性昆虫。狄斯瓦螨Varroa destructor是蜜蜂的体外寄生虫,是对西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera蜂群健康危害最为严重的生物因子。近十多年来,由于全球蜂群损失现象严重,而同时以蜜蜂为代表的授粉昆虫的健康直接关系到农业生产和生态安全,关于狄斯瓦螨与蜜蜂的寄生关系的研究受到极大关注。作为社会性昆虫的一种体外寄生虫,狄斯瓦螨不仅需要适应蜜蜂个体的生长发育,借助蜜蜂化蛹期间的封盖期完成繁殖,同时还要能够逃避蜜蜂社会性行为的清理。本文从狄斯瓦螨的生物学特性以及其与寄主间的互作关系等方面进行论述,以期进一步理解寄生虫-无脊椎动物寄主(特别是社会性昆虫寄主)的相互作用,为寄生虫病学研究提供借鉴。     

狄斯瓦螨和蜜蜂病毒对意大利蜜蜂蜂群越冬的影响

越冬期是蜂群损失最主要的阶段.通过比较分析45个意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica蜂群在繁殖越冬蜂前的狄斯瓦螨Varroa destructor寄生率和病毒感染情况、越冬表现及越冬期存活蜂群的病毒感染情况等,探究与越冬期蜜蜂健康紧密相关的影响因素.结果表明,繁殖越冬蜂前蜂群的狄斯瓦螨寄生率与蜜蜂...     

蜜蜂克什米尔病毒实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法的建立和评价

蜜蜂克什米尔病毒(Kashmir bee virus,KBV)是一种高毒力的急性蜜蜂病毒,可以引起蜜蜂的死亡和蜂群崩溃.本研究旨在建立一种灵敏、快速检测KBV的TaqMan实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法.参照GenBank中polymerase polyprotein有关基因序列,设计一组特异性引物和探针,并通过体外转录法制备RNA标准品作为阳性模板.在对反应体系进行优化的基础上,建立了 KBV的实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法并进行了特异性试验、敏感性试验、重复性试验和临床样本验证.结果显示:该方法能有效扩增8×100拷贝/μL～8×107拷贝/μL 的KBV标准品,建立的标准曲线呈现良好的线性关系.该方法的检测灵敏度为8拷贝/μL,对其他蜜蜂病毒不发生交叉反应,具有很好的特异性;重复性试验结果显示组内和组间的变异系数分别低于1％和2％,重复性良好.应用本研究建立方法与常规RT-PCR方法对样品进行检测,TaqMan实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法的特异性优于常规RT-PCR.本研究建立的实时荧光RT-PCR检测具有良好的敏感性、特异性和重复性,为KBV的检测和流行病学调查提供技术支持.     

蜜蜂以色列急性麻痹病毒(IAPV)研究进展

2006年冬季至2007年春季,美国发生了大范围的蜜蜂突然消失现象,类似的情况也发生在欧洲的部分地区,引发了严重的授粉危机。科学家对此展开了深入细致的研究并推测以色列急性麻痹病毒(Israeli acute paralysisvirus,IAPV)很可能是蜂群崩溃失调病(colony collapse disorder,CCD)的致病因素。随着研究的深入,对CCD的致病因素及其发生机制有了更深入的认识,并趋向于认为多方面的致病因素可能导致了CCD的发生。本文综述了目前国内外对IAPV的研究进展。     

病毒基因工程研究进展(摘要)

病毒是一类非细胞形态结构的,具有专性寄生的分子微生物。它与其寄主建立不可分割的联系。只有寄生,才表现它的生命活力。因此,它对其活体寄主的安全性产生了巨大的威协。有的病毒尽管在寄主内处于溶源性或潜伏性,但一旦暴发是难以制服的,这类病毒潜伏性的寄生和致病性的暴发对农牧业和人类生命安全都造成重大损害。     

以色列急性麻痹病毒(IAPV)的特性及入侵受体的研究进展

以色列急性麻痹病毒（Israeli acute paralysis virus, IAPV）是一种严重危害蜜蜂健康的病毒,其感染特性主要表现为较强的传染性和致病性。IAPV能感染多种宿主,不仅能感染蜜蜂,还能感染熊蜂、无刺蜂、胡蜂和蚂蚁等昆虫以及狄斯瓦螨Varroa destructor。受体是决定其宿主范围和嗜性组织的重要因素,病毒入侵过程中关键的一步就是与受体蛋白结合,但迄今为止,国内外针对蜜蜂病毒的受体研究较为匮乏,尚无该病毒受体报道。NPC（NPC intracellular cholesterol transporter）,一种细胞内转运胆固醇的蛋白,是多种昆虫病毒的胞内受体,在病毒感染中扮演着关键的角色。之前研究表明,该蛋白可能与蜜蜂病毒的感染过程有关。本文综述了IAPV的特性和可能的入侵受体,包括病毒分子结构特征、流行与传播、宿主范围以及感染机制,以期深入认识IAPV的发病机制。     

关于新现病毒的简述(第一部分)

目前“emerging ” 一般翻译为“新现”,但本文中“emerging virus”实际包含两层含义：它是新出现的,并且会威胁人类健康。一种新现病毒,既可以是之前从未出现过的,也可以是之前出现过,而现在重新出现,或体现出新的特性而重现。2009年,数种新现病毒肆虐,全球出现大量感染和死亡病例,并蒙受巨大的经济损失。因此,新现病毒受到公众卫生部门和流行病专家的高度关注。自20世纪90年代初,新现一词常被滥用,以描述一些迄今尚不明确的感染,这些感染实际多是一种被控制后在另一地区或以新的活力出现,这两种情况也可同时出现。其中,除了被分离并报道的一部分病例,这些感染只有一些热带病专家和动物疾病专家去关注,而被大部分微生物学专家和临床医生忽略。近年来......     

Characterisation and serological relationships of strains of Kashmir bee virus

Isolates of novel strains of Kashmir bee virus (KBV) were obtained from field-collected dead adults of Apis mellifera from honey bee colonies in Canada and Spain. They differed from other strains of KBV in their tendency to aggregate in dilute buffer solution and in containing only three proteins when analysed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis compared with five proteins resolved in the type strain of KBV from Apis cerana in India and six proteins in KBV strains from South Australia and New Zealand. Immunodiffusion tests and Western blotting studies indicated that the five virus isolates were serologically related and all were related to acute paralysis virus (APV). The world distribution of KBV strains and their apparent relationship with APV are discussed.     

Patterns in Varroa destructor depend on bee host abundance,availability of natural resources,and climate in Mediterranean apiaries

1. Varroa destructor Linnaeus (Acari: Varroidae) is one of the greatest threats to apiculture. This study examines the role of host density, natural resource availability for bees, the management and climate in driving spatial and annual variability in the abundance of Varroa, and the occurrence of colony losses, recorded in apiaries across a Mediterranean island over a 2‐year period, using a hierarchical generalised linear model framework. 2. The seasonal abundance of Varroa showed a bimodal pattern with two peaks, the first one being in spring and larger than the second one located in summer/autumn. In contrast, bee colony losses were mainly concentrated in autumn/winter. 3. The abundance patterns of Varroa were best explained by models combining host, climate, and resource availability. A key novel finding was that low availability of natural flowering resources leads to high levels of infestation of Varroa, highlighting the importance of preserving natural resources around apiaries for the maintenance of pollination services in the landscape. Varroa abundance was also found to increase as bee density increased, probably as a result of the greater brood availability. Moreover, Varroa abundance increased as temperatures decrease and decreases as relative humidity increases, which is consistent with previous studies. Anti‐varroa treatments were only found to impact Varroa levels in the second 6 months of the year. Organic treatments outperformed synthetic treatments. 4. Empirical research on optimal seasonal timing and combinations of treatments, as well as impacts of climate and resource availability on natural dynamics of bees and Varroa in different climate zones, is urgently required.     

Development of a 44K SNP assay focussing on the analysis of a varroa-specific defence behaviour in honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica)

Honey bees are exposed to a number of damaging pathogens and parasites. The most destructive among them, affecting mainly the brood, is Varroa destructor. A promising approach to prevent its spread is to breed for Varroa-tolerant honey bees. A trait that has been shown to provide significant resistance against the Varroa mite is hygienic behaviour, a behavioural response of honey bee workers to brood diseases in general. This study reports the development of a 44K SNP assay, specifically designed for the analysis of hygienic behaviour of individual worker bees (Apis mellifera carnica) directed against V. destructor. Initially, 70,000 SNPs chosen from a large set of SNPs published by the Honey Bee Genome Project were validated for their suitability in the analysis of the Varroa resistance trait 'uncapping of Varroa-infested brood'. This was achieved by genotyping of pooled DNA samples of trait bearers and two trait-negative controls using next-generation sequencing. Approximately 36,000 of these validated SNPs and another 8000 SNPs not validated in this study were selected for the construction of a SNP assay. This assay will be employed in following experiments to analyse individualized DNA samples in order to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in the control of the investigated trait and to evaluate and possibly confirm QTL found in other studies. However, this assay is not just suitable to study Varroa tolerance, it is as well applicable to analyse any other trait in honey bees. In addition, because of its high density, this assay provides access into genomic selection with respect to several traits considered in honey bee breeding. It will become publicly available via AROS Applied Biotechnology AS, Aarhus, Denmark, before the end of the year 2011.     

Distribution of deformed wing virus within honey bee (Apis mellifera) brood cells infested with the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor

The distribution of deformed wing virus (DWV) in adult female Varroa destructor and in their progeny in relation to the pupal host bee was investigated to evaluate acquisition and transfer of DWV by the mites. The results clearly show that adult female mites regularly act as competent vectors of DWV, however, they do not acquire or transfer virus on all possible occasions. Mother mites may contain DWV while the pupal host remains free from overt infection and both mother mites and mite progeny may not acquire detectable amounts of DWV from an infected host bee. However, a majority of mites feeding on pupae that emerge with deformed wings will contain DWV. The data also demonstrates that both adult and immature mite progeny most likely acquire DWV from DWV-infected host bees and not from their mother mites. Possible explanations for the obtained results are discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A filamentous virus of the honey bee

A common and widespread disease of honey bees, Apis mellifera, is caused by an unoccluded, Feulgen-positive, filamentous nuclear virus. Ovoid viral particles seen in diseased bee hemolymph consisted of a folded nucleocapsid within a viral envelope and were 0.40 by 0.10 μm. Virions with unfolded nucleocapsids were about 3060 by 60 nm. The disease was transmissible to bees both per os and by injection, but efforts to infect oriental cockroaches, Blatta orientalis, and the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, failed. The disease is apparently the same as that described as a rickettsial disease of European bees.     

Detection of chronic bee paralysis virus and acute bee paralysis virus in Uruguayan honeybees

Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) causes a disease characterized by trembling, flightless, and crawling bees, while Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) is commonly detected in apparently healthy colonies, usually associated to Varroa destructor. Both viruses had been detected in most regions of the world, except in South America. In this work, we detected CBPV and ABPV in samples of Uruguayan honeybees by RT-PCR. The detection of both viruses in different provinces and the fact that most of the analyzed samples were infected, suggest that, they are widely spread in the region. This is the first record of the presence of CBPV and ABPV in Uruguay and South America.     

Survey of six bee viruses using RT-PCR in Northern Thailand

Six honey bee viruses were surveyed using RT-PCR in Northern Thailand where about 80% of Thai apiaries are located. Tested samples were found to be positive for deformed wing virus (DWV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), sacbrood virus (SBV) and Kashmir bee virus (KBV). In the collected samples, neither chronic bee paralysis virus nor black queen cell virus nucleic acids could be detected. It was found that DWV was the most widespread and ABPV was the second most prevalent. Kashmir bee virus was found only in the Lampang province where high infestation of Varroa destructor mite occurred. Tropilaelaps, European foulbrood, and Chalkbrood diseases were found in some apiaries.