title: Bee pathogens found in Bombus atratus from Colombia: A case study.
abstract: Bombus atratus bumblebees from Colombia that were caught in the wild and from breeding programs were screened for a broad set of bee pathogens. We discovered for the first time Lake Sinai Virus and confirmed the infection by other common viruses. The prevalence of Apicystis bombi, Crithidia bombi and Nosema ceranae was remarkably high. According to other studies the former two could have been co-introduced in South America with exotic bumble bees as Bombus terrestris or Bombus ruderatus. Given the fact that none of these species occur in Colombia, our data puts a new light on the spread of these pathogens over the South American continent.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnology, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gamboa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jorgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ravoet
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brunain
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smagghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meeus
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnology, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sciences, Military University Nueva Granada, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Riaño
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: dirk.degraaf@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Dirk C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: de Graaf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000821:virology*; D003105:Colombia; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
keywords: Acute Bee Paralysis Virus; Apicystis bombi; Black Queen Cell Virus; Bombus atratus; Crithidia bombi; Lake Sinai Virus; Nosema ceranae; Pathogen; Sacbrood Virus