Apis mellifera Solinvivirus-1, a Novel Honey Bee Virus That Remained Undetected for over a Decade, Is Widespread in the USA.

A metagenomic analysis of the virome of honey bees (Apis mellifera) from an apiary with high rates of unexplained colony losses identified a novel RNA virus. The virus, which was named Apis mellifera solinvivirus 1 (AmSV1), contains a 10.6 kb positive-strand genomic RNA with a single ORF coding for a polyprotein with the protease, helicase, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domains, as well as a single jelly-roll structural protein domain, showing highest similarity with viruses in the family Solinviviridae. The injection of honey bee pupae with AmSV1 preparation showed an increase in virus titer and the accumulation of the negative-strand of AmSV1 RNA 3 days after injection, indicating the replication of AmSV1. In the infected worker bees, AmSV1 was present in heads, thoraxes, and abdomens, indicating that this virus causes systemic infection. An analysis of the geographic and historic distribution of AmSV1, using over 900 apiary samples collected across the United States, showed AmSV1 presence since at least 2010. In the year 2021, AmSV1 was detected in 10.45% of apiaries (95%CI: 8.41-12.79%), mostly sampled in June and July in Northwestern and Northeastern United States. The diagnostic methods and information on the AmSV1 distribution will be used to investigate the connection of AmSV1 to honey bee colony losses.

Pesticides in honey bee colonies: Establishing a baseline for real world exposure over seven years in the USA.

Honey bees Apis mellifera forage in a wide radius around their colony, bringing back contaminated food resources that can function as terrestrial bioindicators of environmental pesticide exposure. Evaluating pesticide exposure risk to pollinators is an ongoing problem. Here we apply five metrics for pesticide exposure risk (prevalence, diversity, concentration, significant pesticide prevalence, and hazard quotient (HQ)) to a nation-wide field study of honey bees, Apis mellifera in the United States. We examined samples from 1055 apiaries over seven years for 218 different pesticide residues and metabolites, determining that bees were exposed to 120 different pesticide products with a mean of 2.78 per sample. Pesticides in pollen were highly prevalent and variable across states. While pesticide diversity increased over time, most detections occurred at levels predicted to be of low risk to colonies. Varroacides contributed most to concentration, followed by fungicides, while insecticides contributed most to diversity above a toxicity threshold. High risk samples contained one of 12 different insecticides or varroacides. Exposures predicted to be low-risk were nevertheless associated with colony morbidity, and low-level fungicide exposures were tied to queen loss, Nosema infection, and brood diseases.

Prevalence of vomiting in dogs with pericardial effusion.

BACKGROUND: Pericardial effusion (PE) is common in dogs. Clinical signs may be vague until cardiac tamponade and associated cardiovascular decompensation develops. Vomiting has previously been identified in some dogs, but the actual prevalence of vomiting in dogs with PE is unknown. The purpose of this study is to report the prevalence of vomiting associated with PE, and to determine if vomiting is associated with the underlying cause of effusion, presenting plasma lactate concentration, or volume of PE removed. KEY FINDINGS: The medical records of 49 dogs diagnosed with PE were restrospectively reviewed. Data collected from the medical record included signalment, the presence or absence of vomiting, presenting plasma lactate concentration, and the etiology of the PE. Twenty-five of 49 dogs (51%) identified with PE had recently vomited. Vomiting was more common in dogs with presenting plasma lactate concentration > 5.0 mmol/L (P = 0.02) but was unrelated to the specific etiology of the PE. The volume of PE obtained via pericardiocentesis did not differ (P = 0.79) between dogs with (8.7 ± 3.4 mL/kg) and without historical vomiting (9.1 ± 4.3 mL/kg). SIGNIFICANCE: Vomiting is common in dogs with PE, and in particular, dogs with evidence of hypoperfusion. Pericardial effusion should be included as a differential diagnosis in dogs with a history of vomiting that present with weakness or collapse.