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Pathogens Detection in the Small Hive Beetle (Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae))

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Abstract

Aethina tumida Murray is currently a worldwide emergent pest of Apis mellifera L. hives. Although the damaging effect on the colony stores and brood is well known, the possible role of these beetles as a disease carrier is not clear. This is the first report of DNA presence of the trypanosome honeybee parasite Lotmaria passim and Crithidia bombi, and the Apis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV) in A. tumida. Further studies will be needed to determine if A. tumida is indeed a mechanical or biological vector of these pathogens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM-CONICET-CIC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Univ Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    G Fernandez de Landa, M P Porrini, P Revainera, M D Maggi, M J Eguaras & S Quintana

  2. GENEBSO, INBIOTEC, UNMdP, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    D P Porrini

  3. Museo Municipal de Ciencias Naturales de Mar del Plata (Lorenzo Scaglia), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    J Farina

  4. Depto de Medicina y Zootecnia de Abejas, Conejos y Organismos Acuáticos (DMZA:CyOA), Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia (FMVZ), Univ Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico

    A Correa-Benítez

Authors
  1. G Fernandez de Landa
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  2. M P Porrini
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  3. P Revainera
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  4. D P Porrini
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  5. J Farina
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  6. A Correa-Benítez
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  7. M D Maggi
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  8. M J Eguaras
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  9. S Quintana
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G Fernandez de Landa.

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Edited by Alberto S Corrêa – ESALQ/USP

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de Landa, G.F., Porrini, M.P., Revainera, P. et al. Pathogens Detection in the Small Hive Beetle (Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)). Neotrop Entomol 50, 312–316 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-020-00812-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-020-00812-8

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