Scientific research progress丨The pathogenesis mechanism of microplastics carrying insect viruses has been revealed

　　Recently, the research of the bee disease and pest biology team of the Institute of Bee Of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences revealed the reasons for the rapid proliferation of viruses in healthy bees, which provided a theoretical basis for the outbreak mechanism of bee viruses from recessive to overt infection. The findings were published in Environmental Science and Technology.

　　Bee viruses are mainly present in bee colonies in the form of hidden infections, and Diswa mites are one of the important factors that promote the rapid proliferation of bee viruses and induce overt infection. However, in the process of field bee colony management, as long as the standardized management and prevention are appropriate, the mite infestation is basically within the controllable range. However, there will still be a large number of crawling bees and even a decline in the bee colony in the field, which will bring serious economic losses to China's beekeepers. Therefore, elucidating the causes of virus outbreaks and proliferation has become a scientific problem that urgently needs to be solved.

　　The study found that whether it is large-scale farming or wild bee-like, microplastics in the environment have invaded many organs and tissues in the bee's body, which can damage honey sacs. This not only causes physical harm to the bees, such as destroying the integrity of the periage membrane, but also significantly suppresses the bees' immune system, creating opportunities for the rapid proliferation of the virus and hastening the death of the bees. The results of the study confirmed the influence mechanism of microplastics on the proliferation of bee viruses at the physiological and molecular levels, and provided a detection standard for bees as an indicator of environmental pollution.

　　The research was funded by the Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Young Talents Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. (Correspondent Yang Yuhui)