Abstract:

Honeybees are indispensable pollinator insects for vegetative pollination and biodiversity. Moreover, they serve medicinal importance with products such as honey, propolis, pollen, and royal jelly. Sudden bee deaths and colony collapse disorder (CCD) threaten the sustainability of colony health. Honeybee viruses, parasites, and pathogens trigger colony losses and CCD. This study investigated the presence and prevalence of Israeli acute bee paralysis virus (IAPV) in apiaries with sudden bee deaths, colony losses, and CCD-like problems in 16 provinces in different eco-geographic regions of Türkiye between 2011- 2021. Samples were tested for the coexistence of honeybee pathogens with IAPV. The sampled apiaries were evaluated for other bee pathogens such as Acute bee paralysis virus, Black queen bee virus, Chronic bee paralysis virus, Deformed wing virus, Kashmir bee virus, Lake Sinai virus, Sacbrood virus, Varroa mites, and Nosema sp. analyzed. Pathogen-specific RT-PCR assay was used for bee viruses. IAPV positivity was found to be 52.5% in apiaries. 97.5% of the sampled apiaries were positive for at least one pathogen. According to the results of this study, the presence of IAPV in apiaries suffering from colony loss and CCD-like problems was higher than in previous reports, and viruses of different species, Nosema sp., and varroa infestation were found to be frequently encountered. The results suggest that the coexistence of IAPV and multiple pathogens may be effective in colony losses.

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