Source-This post on Thai Sacbrood Virus in Bees is based on the article “New infectious diseases among bees threaten world’s economies” published in “The Hindu” on 18th November 2024.
Why in the News?
Research has shown that pathogen spillover and spillback from managed honey bees to wild pollinators is a significant threat. They also unknowingly spread the Thai Sacbrood Virus to native bee colonies. Thai Sacbrood Virus in Bees.
| Additional Facts Pathogen Spillover occurs when a pathogen transfers from a domestic or non-native species to a wild species, like the spread of disease from managed honey bees to wild pollinators. Pathogen Spillback is the reverse, where a pathogen moves back to domesticated species from wild populations, causing further ecological impact, such as wildlife diseases being transmitted back to farm animals. |
About Thai Sacbrood Virus
1. Impact on Bees: Thai Sacbrood Virus (TSBV) targets honeybee larvae, killing them and hindering colony growth and reproduction. While it is less harmful to western honeybees, it poses a serious threat to Asiatic honeybees (Apis cerana indica).
2. Transmission: The movement of bee colonies for commercial pollination and honey production has contributed to the spread of the virus.
3. Geographical Spread: In 1991-1992, an outbreak destroyed around 90% of Asiatic honey bee colonies in South India, and the virus resurfaced in Telangana in 2021. It has also been reported in other countries, including China and Vietnam.
About Indian Bees
1. India is home to over 700 bee species, including four native honey bee species: the Asiatic honey bee (Apis cerana indica), giant rock bee (Apis dorsata), dwarf honey bee (Apis florea), and stingless bee (sp. Trigona).
2. Western honey bees were introduced to India in 1983 to boost the country’s honey yield.
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