Honey bees are among the most important insects on the planet, as they pollinate about a third of the crops we eat and support the diversity of many ecosystems.
However, honey bees are also facing multiple threats to their health and survival, such as habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and diseases.
One of the major challenges for honey bee health is viral infections, which can cause serious symptoms and mortality in honey bees, as well as weaken their colonies and make them more vulnerable to other stressors.
There are more than 20 known viruses that can infect honey bees, some of which are transmitted by parasitic mites that feed on their blood
Currently, there are no effective treatments or vaccines for honey bee viruses, and the available methods to control them are limited and often costly or impractical.
Therefore, finding new ways to prevent or reduce viral infections in honey bees is crucial for their health and survival, as well as for the security of food production and biodiversity.
The challenge of honey bee viruses
JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE/Belga/AFP via Getty Images
Honey bees are vital pollinators that contribute to the production of many crops and wild plants.
However, honey bee populations have been declining worldwide due to various factors, such as habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, and diseases, as per Phys.org.
Among the diseases that affect honey bees, viruses are particularly challenging.
There are more than 20 known viruses that can infect honey bees, causing symptoms, such as paralysis, deformity, reduced lifespan, and colony collapse.
Some of these viruses are transmitted by parasitic mites, such as the varroa mite, which is the main cause of honey bee losses globally.
Honey bee viruses are difficult to control because they are highly diverse, adaptable, and contagious.
They can also interact with each other and with other stressors to increase their virulence and impact. Currently, there are no effective treatments or vaccines for honey bee viruses.
Therefore, finding new ways to prevent or reduce viral infections in honey bees is crucial for their health and survival, as well as for the security of food production and biodiversity.
A team of scientists from the University of Florida, the Agricultural Research Service-USDA, Louisiana State University, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have successfully tested a novel way of boosting honey bees' immune systems to help them fend off deadly viruses.
In a new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, they showed that prompting honey bees' cells to produce free radicals helped the bees weather a host of viruses.
Free radicals are molecules that have an unpaired electron, making them highly reactive and unstable. They can cause damage to cells and DNA, but they can also act as signals to activate the immune system.
The researchers used a compound called pinacidil to alter potassium ion channels, a type of protein found in the cells of bees and most living things.
Altering these channels produced slightly more free radicals in the bees' cells.
The researchers tested the effect of pinacidil on honey bees in both laboratory and field experiments.
They found that pinacidil reduced the levels of six potentially deadly honey bee viruses: Israeli acute paralysis virus, deformed wing viruses A and B, black queen cell virus, and Lake Sinai viruses 1 and 2.
They also found that pinacidil increased the survival rate of bees in colonies heavily infested with varroa mites.
The study concluded that pinacidil is a promising candidate for developing an immune-boosting therapy for honey bees.
This approach is said to be epecially exciting because it does not target a specific type of virus but helps with many different viruses, and that it works both in the lab and in colonies that each contain 80,000 bees in the field.
The researchers cautioned that more studies are needed to determine the optimal dose and frequency of pinacidil treatment, as well as its possible side effects or interactions with other stressors.
They also said that pinacidil is not a silver bullet for honey bee health and that other measures such as reducing pesticide use, improving habitat quality, and breeding resistant bees are still necessary.
Immune-boosting therapy helps honey bees resist deadly viruses, according to a new study by a team of scientists who have studied the effects of pinacidil on honey bee immunity and viral infections.
They hope that their findings will lead to the development of a safe and effective treatment for honey bee viruses, which have contributed to the major losses of the critical pollinator globally.
