Ants are ubiquitous and eusocial insects that exhibit frequent physical contact among colony members,thereby increasing their susceptibility to diseases.Some species are often found in beehives and in their surroundin...Ants are ubiquitous and eusocial insects that exhibit frequent physical contact among colony members,thereby increasing their susceptibility to diseases.Some species are often found in beehives and in their surroundings,where they exploit the food resources of honey bees.This intricate relationship may facilitate the interspecific transmission of honey bee pathogens to ants,although ants themselves may contribute to spillback phenomena.The objective of this study was to assess the presence and abundance of honey bee pathogens in ants sampled from Italian apiaries.A total of 37 colonies within 24 apiaries across 7 regions were monitored.In total,6 pathogens were detected in adult ants and 3 in the brood.In particular,the study revealed a high prevalence of honey bee pathogens in ants,with DWV,BQCV,and CBPV being the most commonly encountered.The brood also tested positive for the same viruses.Notably,all analyzed viruses were found to be replicative in both adult ants and ant broods.Furthermore,co-infections were prevalent,suggesting complex pathogen interactions within ant populations.Statistical analysis indicated significant differences in pathogen prevalence and abundance among ant species and sample types.The findings highlight active infection in both the ants and the brood,suggesting a potential role of ants as reservoir hosts and vectors of honey bee pathogens emphasizing the need for further research to understand the implications of interspecific pathogen transmission on ant and bee health.展开更多
Pathogens are shared between wild bees and wasps but little is known about how urbanization affects their occurrence.Here,the role of temperature and fragmentation of green areas,both associated with urbanization,in m...Pathogens are shared between wild bees and wasps but little is known about how urbanization affects their occurrence.Here,the role of temperature and fragmentation of green areas,both associated with urbanization,in modulating pathogen loads was investigated.Twelve pathogens were investigated in the bees Anthophora plumipes Pallas,1772,Halictus scabiosae(Rossi,1790),Osmia cornuta(Latreille,1805),and the wasp Polistes dominula(Christ,1791)sampled across an urbanization gradient in a metropolitan area of northern Italy.Overall,the relative presence/abundance of the pathogens were found to be species specific,as were the responses to urbanization.Anthophora plumipes and O.cornuta had a higher occurrence probability of the neogregarine protozoan Apicystis bombi in more fragmented urban areas.In the same bee species,both temperature and the fragmentation of green areas reduced the number of copies of the deformed wing virus(DWV).In H.scabiosae and P.dominula,higher temperature increased respectively the likelihood of occurrence of DWV and chronic bee paralysis virus(CBPV).In addition,the viruses were found to be replicative in all samples tested.The results show a consistent presence of pathogens in the four target species,and that urbanization plays a role in modulating the pathogen load.Although transmission pathways could not be considered here,it may be suggested that appropriate management of urban areas may buffer wild insects from potentially harmful pathogens.Whether the presence of such pathogens also results in symptomatic phenotypes remains to be determined in laboratory experiments.展开更多
基金framework of the COMP-R Initiative,funded by the Departments of Excellence program of the Italian Ministry for University and Research(MUR,2023-2027)。
文摘Ants are ubiquitous and eusocial insects that exhibit frequent physical contact among colony members,thereby increasing their susceptibility to diseases.Some species are often found in beehives and in their surroundings,where they exploit the food resources of honey bees.This intricate relationship may facilitate the interspecific transmission of honey bee pathogens to ants,although ants themselves may contribute to spillback phenomena.The objective of this study was to assess the presence and abundance of honey bee pathogens in ants sampled from Italian apiaries.A total of 37 colonies within 24 apiaries across 7 regions were monitored.In total,6 pathogens were detected in adult ants and 3 in the brood.In particular,the study revealed a high prevalence of honey bee pathogens in ants,with DWV,BQCV,and CBPV being the most commonly encountered.The brood also tested positive for the same viruses.Notably,all analyzed viruses were found to be replicative in both adult ants and ant broods.Furthermore,co-infections were prevalent,suggesting complex pathogen interactions within ant populations.Statistical analysis indicated significant differences in pathogen prevalence and abundance among ant species and sample types.The findings highlight active infection in both the ants and the brood,suggesting a potential role of ants as reservoir hosts and vectors of honey bee pathogens emphasizing the need for further research to understand the implications of interspecific pathogen transmission on ant and bee health.
基金Project funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan(NRRP),Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4-Call for tender No.3138 of December 16,2021,rectified by Decree n.3175 of December 18,2021 of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union-NextGenerationEU,Project code CN_00000033,Concession Decree No.1034 of June 17,2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research,CUP,H43C22000530001 Project title"National Biodiversity Future Center-NBFC."。
文摘Pathogens are shared between wild bees and wasps but little is known about how urbanization affects their occurrence.Here,the role of temperature and fragmentation of green areas,both associated with urbanization,in modulating pathogen loads was investigated.Twelve pathogens were investigated in the bees Anthophora plumipes Pallas,1772,Halictus scabiosae(Rossi,1790),Osmia cornuta(Latreille,1805),and the wasp Polistes dominula(Christ,1791)sampled across an urbanization gradient in a metropolitan area of northern Italy.Overall,the relative presence/abundance of the pathogens were found to be species specific,as were the responses to urbanization.Anthophora plumipes and O.cornuta had a higher occurrence probability of the neogregarine protozoan Apicystis bombi in more fragmented urban areas.In the same bee species,both temperature and the fragmentation of green areas reduced the number of copies of the deformed wing virus(DWV).In H.scabiosae and P.dominula,higher temperature increased respectively the likelihood of occurrence of DWV and chronic bee paralysis virus(CBPV).In addition,the viruses were found to be replicative in all samples tested.The results show a consistent presence of pathogens in the four target species,and that urbanization plays a role in modulating the pathogen load.Although transmission pathways could not be considered here,it may be suggested that appropriate management of urban areas may buffer wild insects from potentially harmful pathogens.Whether the presence of such pathogens also results in symptomatic phenotypes remains to be determined in laboratory experiments.
