Molecular Identification of Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus Infection in <em>Apis mellifera</em> Colonies in Japan

Abstract

Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) infection causes chronic paralysis and loss of workers in honey bee colonies around the world. Although CBPV shows a worldwide distribution, it had not been molecularly detected in Japan. Our investigation of <em>Apis mellifera</em> and <em>Apis cerana japonica</em> colonies with RT-PCR has revealed CBPV infection in <em>A. mellifera</em> but not <em>A. c. japonica</em> colonies in Japan. The prevalence of CBPV is low compared with that of other viruses: deformed wing virus (DWV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), Israel acute paralysis virus (IAPV), and sac brood virus (SBV), previously reported in Japan. Because of its low prevalence (5.6%) in <em>A. mellifera</em> colonies, the incidence of colony losses by CBPV infection must be sporadic in Japan. The presence of the (−) strand RNA in dying workers suggests that CBPV infection and replication may contribute to their symptoms. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates a geographic separation of Japanese isolates from European, Uruguayan, and mainland US isolates. The lack of major exchange of honey bees between Europe/mainland US and Japan for the recent 26 years (1985–2010) may have resulted in the geographic separation of Japanese CBPV isolates.

Keywords

• chronic bee paralysis virus
• &lt;em&gt;Apis mellifera&lt;/em&gt;
• &lt;em&gt;Apis cerana japonica&lt;/em&gt;
• phylogeny