Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.9
2.0
Journals
Veterinary Sciences
Special Issues
Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites
share announcement

Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2022) | Viewed by 34997

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sebastian Gisder

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Bee Research, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, D-16540 Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
Interests: viruses; microsporidia; molecular and cellular pathology; honey bee pathogens
Dr. Anne Fünfhaus

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Bee Research, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, D-16540 Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
Interests: bacteria; molecular and cellular pathology; honey bee pathogens; epidemiology
Dr. Julia Ebeling

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Bee Research, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, D-16540 Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
Interests: bacteria; microbiology; molecular and cellular pathology; honey bee pathogens

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Honey bees are important pollinators of agricultural crops, and despite reports about unexplainable colony losses over the last decades, the number of honey bee colonies has increased on a global scale. However, the demand for pollination has increased disproportionally to the increase in honey bee colonies, which has the potential to lead to a global pollination crisis. In this regard, colony losses caused by honey bee pathogens and parasites are particularly alarming. There is a consensus that the most devastating factors for colony losses are the Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) and viruses like the deformed wing virus (DWV) and the acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), which are transmitted by the mite when feeding on the honey bee brood. In addition, infections with Nosema ceranae or Paenibacillus larvae or infestations with the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) have devastating consequences for the respective colonies. However, although honey bees are affected a multitude of pathogens and parasites, the means of carrying out detection, differential diagnosis, epidemiological research, and specific treatments are lacking compared with the multiplicity of means available in the vertebrate veterinary sciences.

The aim of this Special Issue "Honeybee Pathogens and Parasites" is to present original research work or reviews on common pests or pathogens of honey bees to give further insight into the epidemiology and cellular and molecular pathologies of honey bee pathogens or parasites in general. The focus should not be only on common and widely distributed pathogens but also on uncommon and so far not well characterized agents. Manuscripts that deal with novel detection methods or immune responses as well as treatment strategies are also of interest. This compilation will showcase and highlight current research results in the field of honeybee pathogens and parasites and contribute to improving the health status of honey bee colonies.

Dr. Sebastian Gisder 
Dr. Anne Fünfhaus 
Dr. Julia Ebeling
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • honey bee pathogens
  • viruses
  • microsporidia
  • bacteria
  • parasites
  • detection methods
  • epidemiology treatment strategies

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

2 pages, 188 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue: Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites
by Julia Ebeling, Anne Fünfhaus and Sebastian Gisder
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(10), 515; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9100515 - 21 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2007
Abstract
Honey bees are important pollinators of agricultural crops and despite the reports about elevated local colony losses over the last few decades [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

11 pages, 866 KiB  
Article
Honey Environmental DNA Can Be Used to Detect and Monitor Honey Bee Pests: Development of Methods Useful to Identify Aethina tumida and Galleria mellonella Infestations
by Anisa Ribani, Valeria Taurisano, Valerio Joe Utzeri and Luca Fontanesi
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(5), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9050213 - 27 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3621
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) contained in honey derives from the organisms that directly and indirectly have been involved in the production process of this matrix and that have played a role in the hive ecosystems where the honey has been produced. In this study [...] Read more.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) contained in honey derives from the organisms that directly and indirectly have been involved in the production process of this matrix and that have played a role in the hive ecosystems where the honey has been produced. In this study we set up PCR-based assays to detect the presence of DNA traces left in the honey by two damaging honey bee pests: the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) and the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella). DNA was extracted from 82 honey samples produced in Italy and amplified using two specific primer pairs that target the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI) of A. tumida and two specific primer pairs that target the same gene in G. mellonella. The limit of detection was tested using sequential dilutions of the pest DNA. Only one honey sample produced in Calabria was positive for A. tumida whereas about 66% of all samples were positively amplified for G. mellonella. The use of honey eDNA could be important to establish early and effective measures to contain at the local (e.g., apiary) or regional scales these two damaging pests and, particularly for the small hive beetle, to prevent its widespread diffusion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 831 KiB  
Article
Molecular Detection of Malpighamoeba mellificae in Honey Bees
by Marc O. Schäfer, Juliane Horenk and Claudia Wylezich
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(3), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9030148 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4312
Abstract
Malpighamoeba mellificae is a protozoan that infects the Malpighian tubules of honey bees. The amoebae, ingested as cysts, develop into trophozoites that feed upon tubule epithelia. The resulting damage of the Malpighian tubules can induce an imbalance of waste excretion and hemolymph exchange. [...] Read more.
Malpighamoeba mellificae is a protozoan that infects the Malpighian tubules of honey bees. The amoebae, ingested as cysts, develop into trophozoites that feed upon tubule epithelia. The resulting damage of the Malpighian tubules can induce an imbalance of waste excretion and hemolymph exchange. This causes the so-called amoebiasis disease in adult bees, which may co-occur with Nosema infections. Most reports of this amoeba are from the 1960s and earlier, and knowledge of the disease and its spreading is very poor. The lack of any genetic marker for the species hampers its sensitive identification using molecular tools and gaining knowledge on its epidemiology. Here, we present a diagnostic RT-qPCR assay, consisting of two primers and one probe that were developed based on 18S rRNA sequences of the amoeba, generated with metagenomic sequencing of Malpighian tubules with and without M. mellificae cysts. The assay was initially tested and adjusted with samples microscopically tested for the presence of M. mellificae cysts. Later, it was validated and material with unknown infection status was tested. The sensitive diagnostic Malpighamoeba disease 18S assay is now ready to be applied for honey bee health monitoring purposes and to investigate the prevalence of M. mellificae in more detail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

6 pages, 1073 KiB  
Communication
Updating Sacbrood Virus Quantification PCR Method Using a TaqMan-MGB Probe
by Wei-Fone Huang, Yakun Zhang, Shahid Mehmood, Zhengwei Wang, Chunsheng Hou and Zhiguo Li
Vet. Sci. 2021, 8(4), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci8040063 - 13 Apr 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3803
Abstract
Sacbrood virus (SBV) is a common honey bee virus disease. SBV variants and strains identified in Asian honey bees, Apis cerana, have created confusion in identifications. Although the regional names indicated the expansions of the virus in new regions, pathogenesis, and genomes [...] Read more.
Sacbrood virus (SBV) is a common honey bee virus disease. SBV variants and strains identified in Asian honey bees, Apis cerana, have created confusion in identifications. Although the regional names indicated the expansions of the virus in new regions, pathogenesis, and genomes of these variants are not distinct enough to be a separate virus species. However, current SBV qPCR methods may not detect newly identified A. cerana SBV variants (Ac SBV) according to the genome sequences. Since these Ac SBV can naturally infect A. mellifera and possibly other hymenopterans, ignorance of Ac SBV variants in detection methods is simply unwise. In this report, we updated the qPCR method based on Blanchard’s design that used conserved regions of VP1 to design a TaqMan method with an MGB (minor groove binder) probe. We tested the method in bees and hornets, including A. mellifera, A. cerana, and Vespa velutina. The updated primers and the probe can match published SBV and Ac SBV genomes in databases, and this updated method has reasonable sensitivity and flexibility to be applied as a detection and quantification method before the discovery of variants with more mutated VP1 gene. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

52 pages, 1564 KiB  
Review
Molecular Detection and Differentiation of Arthropod, Fungal, Protozoan, Bacterial and Viral Pathogens of Honeybees
by Lucas Lannutti, Fernanda Noemi Gonzales, Maria José Dus Santos, Mónica Florin-Christensen and Leonhard Schnittger
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(5), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9050221 - 2 May 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 7129
Abstract
The honeybee Apis mellifera is highly appreciated worldwide because of its products, but also as it is a pollinator of crops and wild plants. The beehive is vulnerable to infections due to arthropods, fungi, protozoa, bacteria and/or viruses that manage to by-pass the [...] Read more.
The honeybee Apis mellifera is highly appreciated worldwide because of its products, but also as it is a pollinator of crops and wild plants. The beehive is vulnerable to infections due to arthropods, fungi, protozoa, bacteria and/or viruses that manage to by-pass the individual and social immune mechanisms of bees. Due to the close proximity of bees in the beehive and their foraging habits, infections easily spread within and between beehives. Moreover, international trade of bees has caused the global spread of infections, several of which result in significant losses for apiculture. Only in a few cases can infections be diagnosed with the naked eye, by direct observation of the pathogen in the case of some arthropods, or by pathogen-associated distinctive traits. Development of molecular methods based on the amplification and analysis of one or more genes or genomic segments has brought significant progress to the study of bee pathogens, allowing for: (i) the precise and sensitive identification of the infectious agent; (ii) the analysis of co-infections; (iii) the description of novel species; (iv) associations between geno- and pheno-types and (v) population structure studies. Sequencing of bee pathogen genomes has allowed for the identification of new molecular targets and the development of specific genotypification strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 362 KiB  
Review
The Role of Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) in Honey Bee Colony Losses and Current Insights on Treatment
by Pablo Jesús Marín-García, Yoorana Peyre, Ana Elena Ahuir-Baraja, María Magdalena Garijo and Lola Llobat
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(3), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9030130 - 11 Mar 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5448
Abstract
Honeybee populations have locally and temporally declined in the last few years because of both biotic and abiotic factors. Among the latter, one of the most important reasons is infection by the microsporidia Nosema ceranae, which is the etiological agent of type [...] Read more.
Honeybee populations have locally and temporally declined in the last few years because of both biotic and abiotic factors. Among the latter, one of the most important reasons is infection by the microsporidia Nosema ceranae, which is the etiological agent of type C nosemosis. This species was first described in Asian honeybees (Apis cerana). Nowadays, domestic honeybees (Apis mellifera) worldwide are also becoming infected due to globalization. Type C nosemosis can be asymptomatic or can cause important damage to bees, such as changes in temporal polyethism, energy and oxidative stress, immunity loss, and decreased average life expectancy. It causes drastic reductions in workers, numbers of broods, and honey production, finally leading to colony loss. Common treatment is based on fumagillin, an antibiotic with side effects and relatively poor efficiency, which is banned in the European Union. Natural products, probiotics, food supplements, nutraceuticals, and other veterinary drugs are currently under study and might represent alternative treatments. Prophylaxis and management of affected colonies are essential to control the disease. While N. ceranae is one potential cause of bee losses in a colony, other factors must also be considered, especially synergies between microsporidia and the use of insecticides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites)
21 pages, 804 KiB  
Review
Entomopathogenic Fungi for Pests and Predators Control in Beekeeping
by Roberto Bava, Fabio Castagna, Cristian Piras, Vincenzo Musolino, Carmine Lupia, Ernesto Palma, Domenico Britti and Vincenzo Musella
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(2), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9020095 - 21 Feb 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6870
Abstract
The emergence of resistance to chemical drugs in beekeeping is becoming a phenomenon of widespread concern. One promising alternative to the use of chemicals is entomopathogenic organisms that are environmentally friendly and are capable of stopping the expression of resistance once it has [...] Read more.
The emergence of resistance to chemical drugs in beekeeping is becoming a phenomenon of widespread concern. One promising alternative to the use of chemicals is entomopathogenic organisms that are environmentally friendly and are capable of stopping the expression of resistance once it has evolved. In the recent past, the scientific community has carried out several experiments addressing the use of microbiological control agents. In particular, experimental studies using entomopathogenic fungi have had more success in honey bee research. With their adherence properties and their ability to digest the cuticle and overcome the host defense mechanism, they could be a suitable ingredient in bioacaricides. Several promising fungi have been identified in the search for effective means to control pest populations. The data obtained from the different experiments are interesting and often favorable to their use, but there are also conflicting results. The aim of this review is to describe the state of the art on the topic under investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey Bee Pathogens and Parasites)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop