Simultaneous detection of bee viruses by multiplex PCR.
Honey bee mortality is a serious problem that beekeepers in Argentina have had to face during the last 3 years. It is known that the consequence of the complex interactions between environmental and beekeeping parameters added to the effect of different disease agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasitic mites may result in a sudden collapse of the colony. In addition, multiple viral infections are detected frequently concomitantly in bee colonies. The aim of this study was to establish a multiplex polymerase chain reaction method for rapid and simultaneous detection of the most prevalent bee viruses. This multiplex PCR assay will provide specific, rapid and reliable results and allow for the cost effective detection of a particular virus as well as multiple virus infections in a single reaction tube. This method could be a helpful tool in the surveillance of the most frequently found bee viruses and to study the dynamics and the interactions of the virus populations within colonies.
Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of La Plata, 60 & 118, La Plata CP 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Guillermo Hernán
GH
Sguazza
Francisco José
FJ
Reynaldi
Cecilia Mónica
CM
Galosi
Marcelo Ricardo
MR
Pecoraro
D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D001516:Bees / Q000821:virology*; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*
Apis mellifera; Bee viruses; Detection; Multiplex RT-PCR