ABOUT THE VIRUSES OF HONEY-BEES (APIS-MEL LIFERA) - REVIEW ARTICLE

Literature data on the viruses infecting honey bee have been reported since more than three decades, however their relationship with Varroa. oa jacobsoni parasitic mite has recently aroused the interest of resea rch workers and apiculturists. Demonstration and identification of vir uses raise difficulties because the conventional virus diagnostic meth ods can only be used in part in the diagnosis of virus infection of be es. The present report has summarized the symptoms of the diseases cau sed by the viruses identified up to the present, basic methods used fo r the demonstration of viruses and data on the spreading of these viru ses in the world. Special interest is given to the so-called parasitic -mite syndrome which developed world-wide during the past few years an d Varroa jacobsoni mite is the virus vector in its aetiology.