Honey Bee Pathogen Prevalence and Interactions in the Ağrı Province of Türkiye

This study investigates the prevalence and interactions of bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies in the Ağrı province of Türkiye. To identify pathogens, samples collected from beekeeping enterprises across different regions were analyzed using laboratory techniques, including bacterial culture isolation and one-step RT-PCR. No positivity was detected for Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American Foulbrood (AFB). Among viral pathogens, the Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV) was found in 100% of the samples. in comparison, Apis mellifera Filamentous Virus (AmFV) and Sacbrood Virus (SBV) were detected in 90.9%, Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) in 72.7%, Varroa destructor Virus-1 (VDV-1) in 18.2%, and Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV) and Israeli Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (IAPV) in 9.1% of the samples. Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV) and Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV) were undetected. Nosema apis tested negative, whereas Nosema ceranae showed a 27.3% positivity rate, with 100% consistency between molecular and microscopic analyses. No Varroa mites were found in any of the colonies. These findings provide valuable insights into honey bee pathogen prevalence in Ağrı province, offering a foundation for future research and disease management strategies.