Detection and of molecular characterization of bee viruses in Malatya and Elaziğ provinces

The occurence and distribution of Deformed wing virus (DWV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), Israeli acute bee paralysis virus (IAPV), Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Sacbrood virus (SBV) and Kashmir bee virus (KBV) infecting honey bees in Malatya and Elazığ provinces were detected and molecular characterizations were performed via RT-PCR methods within the study. For this purpose, a total of 147 honeybees were collected from different apiaries from Malatya and Elazığ provinces. Varroa feeding on honeybees were also collected as well as 40 different insect samples from Thomisidae, Tettigonidae, Mantidae, Lygaeidae, Reduvidae and Vespidae families, which were found around the hive and were predicted to be potential vectors. All viruses tested were found to be present in the samples individualy or as mixed infections. The prevelance of the viruses detected in Malatya province were 32%, 17.8%, 16%, 5.9%, 2.3% and 1.1% for DWV, ABPV, BQCV, SBV, IAPV and KBV, respectively. These rates were detected as 12.6%, 6.3% and 1.5% for DWV, BQCV and ABPV, respectively. The viruses detected in this study are first record for Malatya and Elazığ provinces. KEYWORDS: Honey Bee, Virus, Turkey, DWV, BQCV, ABPV, IAPV, SBV, KBV