ABSTRACT
Honey bee viruses are common in bee populations. Colonies may appear healthy even when several different viruses are present, causing little or no harm, and persist and spread harmlessly within and between bee populations. These viruses can cause severe, even fatal, diseases to bees as a result of being stimulated to replicate rapidly, infecting sensitive stages or organs. Misdiagnosis and management of honey bee diseases has been a problem due to the difficulty with virus identification. An overview of research and routine screening techniques involved with virus detection and disease diagnosis is presented in this chapter along with a summary of known honey bee viruses, management practices, and treatments, and direction of future research. Of particular interest is that frequently there is an association and interaction of viruses with other honey bee parasites and diseases, which is a significant aspect of honey bee viruses and their incidence of infection.
