DETECTION OF HONEY BEE VIRUSES ON THE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE

Abstract

A survey of honey bee viruses on the territory of Ukraine has been conducted for
the first time in 2016-2017 years. The samples of adult bees, affected combs and
mites were collected from apiaries in two regions (Kyiv and Cherkasy). Detailed
studying of the bee samples revealed following morphological changes: deformed
wings, saccular brood, blackened pistil, changing of the body color. Virus-like
particles were observed under TEM after purification of bee samples.
Symptomless samples were also analyzed for the presence of bee viruses by RTPCR.
According to results of RT-PCR, we concluded that the following viruses
circulate on the territory of Ukraine: Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV), Kashmir
Bee Virus (KBV), Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), Black Queen Cell Virus
(BQCV), Sacbrood Bee Virus (SBV) Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV). Taken
together, these data indicate that bee virus infections occur in bee populations on
the territory of Ukraine. Despite the lack of symptoms viruses are often present in
colonies and environmental factors might result disease outbreaks that lead to the
activation of viral replication in bees.