title: Dynamics of Apis mellifera Filamentous Virus (AmFV) Infections in Honey Bees and Relationships with Other Parasites.
abstract: Apis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV) is a large double stranded DNA virus of honey bees, but its relationship with other parasites and prevalence are poorly known. We analyzed individual honey bees from three colonies at different times post emergence in order to monitor the dynamics of the AmFV gut colonization under natural conditions. Prevalence and loads of microsporidia and trypanosomes were also recorded, as well as five common honey bee RNA viruses. The results show that a high proportion of bees get infected with AmFV during the first week post-emergence (75%) and that AmFV DNA levels remained constant. A similar pattern was observed for microsporidia while trypanosomes seem to require more time to colonize the gut. No significant associations between these three infections were found, but significant positive correlations were observed between AmFV and RNA viruses. In parallel, the prevalence of AmFV in France and Sweden was assessed from pooled honey bee workers. The data indicate that AmFV is almost ubiquitous, and does not seem to follow seasonal patterns, although higher viral loads were significantly detected in spring. A high prevalence of AmFV was also found in winter bees, without obvious impact on overwintering of the colonies.
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, Bern 3003, Switzerland. uli.hartmann@gmx.ch.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden. Eva.Forsgren@slu.se.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forsgren
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, Bern 3003, Switzerland. jean-daniel.charriere@agroscope.admin.ch.
authors.forename: Jean-Daniel
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Charrière
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, Bern 3003, Switzerland. peter.neumann@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.|Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3001, Switzerland. peter.neumann@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.affiliation: Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, Bern 3003, Switzerland. Laurent.gauthier@agroscope.admin.ch.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gauthier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000821:virology*; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005602:France; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000821:virology; D016814:Microsporidia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Apis mellifera; RNA viruses; filamentous virus; microsporidia; trypanosome