Evolutionarily diverse origins of deformed wing viruses in western honey bees

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301258120
• Publication Date: 2023-06-20T17:54:41Z
• Authors: Nonno Hasegawa; Maeva A. Techer; Noureddine Adjlane; Muntasser Sabah a...; Karina Antúnez; Alexis Beaurepaire; Krisztina Christmon; Helene Delatte; Usman H. Dukku; Nurit Eliash; Mogbel A. A. El-N...; Olivier Esnault; Jay D. Evans; Nizar J. Haddad; Barbara Locke; Irene Muñoz; Grégoire Noël; Delphine Panziera; John M. K. Roberts; Pilar De la Rúa; Mohamed A. Shebl; Zoran Stanimirovic; David A. Rasmussen; Alexander S. Mikh...
• Keywords: Deformed wing virus; Apis cerana

Novel transmission routes can allow infectious diseases to spread, often with devastating consequences. Ectoparasitic varroa mites vector a diversity of RNA viruses, having switched hosts from the eastern western honey bees (Apis cerana Apis mellifera). They provide an opportunity explore how novel shape disease epidemiology. As principal driver spread deformed wing viruses (mainly DWV-A and DWV-B), infestation has also driven global bee health declines. The more virulent DWV-B strain been replacing original in many regions over past two decades. Yet, these originated remains poorly understood. Here, we use phylogeographic analysis based on whole-genome data reconstruct origins demography DWV spread. We found that, rather than reemerging after hosts, as suggested by previous work, most likely East Asia mid-20th century. It showed massive population size expansion following host switch. By contrast, was acquired recently source outside appears absent host. These results highlight dynamic nature viral adaptation, whereby vector's switch give rise competing increasingly pandemics. evolutionary novelty rapid host-virus interactions, together observed spillover into other species, illustrate increasing globalization poses urgent threats biodiversity food security.