Document Type : Original Articles
Authors
1
Department of Pathobiology, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2
Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (RVSRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
3
Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
4
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22092/ari.2026.371166.3919
Abstract
Introduction: Various agents can infect honey bees, the most valuable pollinator, for example bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses in apiculture. The Varroa destructor (V. destructor) mite as one of the most significant pests of honey bees has caused severe losses to population of honey bees in the country in recent years. Considering the role of Varroa mites in honeybee's health via transmitting viral diseases to this insect, the aim of this study was to detect common honey bee pathogenic viruses including acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), deformed wing virus (DWV), sacbrood virus (SBV), and kashmir bee virus (KBV) in V. destructor mites obtained from apiaries across Iran. Materials and methods: Number of 274 apiaries of 31 provinces were selected and honey bee samples were collected, randomly. The collected samples were examined for V. destructor contamination, and then V. destructor were isolated and counted in each sample. After that, isolated mites from each province were tested for studied viruses, using RNA extraction and RT-PCR. Results: The results showed that out of a total of 274 samples, V. destructor was detected in 122 apiaries (44.52%) from 26 provinces of the country. From these 26 provinces, 22 (84.61%), 4 (15.38%) and 12 (46.15%) samples were positive for DWV, KBV and SBV, respectively, and no infection was observed for ABPV, BQCV and CBPV. Discussion: The presence of viral infections in V. destructor mites indicates the role of this pest in transmitting the infections to honeybees, which should be considered as an important problem in apiculture and so it should be required careful management.
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