Viruses found in domestic and feral populations of Apidae

Viruses have the potential to greatly reduce bee populations. Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), for example, has been associated with large declines in European honey bee populations. In this study we searched for viruses in twelve other bees of ecological and economic value. We performed a metagenomic analysis and detected DWV and its closely related relative, Kakugo Virus, in two Apidae species, the Dwarf honey bee Apis florea, a resource for rural communities in Asia, and the tropical bee Centris flavifrons, an important pollinator in Brazil. Small amounts of Chronic bee paralysis virus were also found in other bumble bee and solitary bees. We will confirm these results with RT-PCR. The presence of these harmful viruses may propose a significant threat to these beneficial insects.