Cold case : the disappearance of Egypt bee virus, a fourth distinct master strain of deformed wing virus linked to honeybee mortality in 1970’s Egypt (2022)
Journal Article
de Miranda, J., Brettell, L., Chejanovsky, N., Childers, A., Dalmon, A., Deboutte, W., …Ball, B. (2022). Cold case : the disappearance of Egypt bee virus, a fourth distinct master strain of deformed wing virus linked to honeybee mortality in 1970’s Egypt. Virology Journal, 19(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-022-01740-2

In 1977, a sample of diseased adult honeybees (Apis mellifera) from Egypt was found to contain large amounts of a previously unknown virus, Egypt bee virus, which was subsequently shown to be serologically related to deformed wing virus (DWV). By seq... Read More about Cold case : the disappearance of Egypt bee virus, a fourth distinct master strain of deformed wing virus linked to honeybee mortality in 1970’s Egypt.

Vulnerability of island insect pollinator communities to pathogens (2021)
Journal Article
Brettell, L., Martin, S., Riegler, M., & Cook, J. (2021). Vulnerability of island insect pollinator communities to pathogens. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 186, 107670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2021.107670

Island ecosystems, which often contain undescribed insects and small populations of single island endemics, are at risk from diverse threats. The spread of pathogens is a major factor affecting not just pollinator species themselves, but also posing... Read More about Vulnerability of island insect pollinator communities to pathogens.

Varroa destructor reproduction and cell re-capping in mite-resistant Apis mellifera populations (2019)
Journal Article
Martin, S., Hawkins, G., Brettell, L., Reece, N., Correia-Oliveira, M., & Allsopp, M. (2020). Varroa destructor reproduction and cell re-capping in mite-resistant Apis mellifera populations. Apidologie, 51(3), 369-381. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00721-9

Globalization has facilitated the spread of emerging pests such as the Varroa destructor mite, resulting in the near global distribution of the pest. In South African and Brazilian honey bees, mite-resistant colonies appeared within a decade; in Euro... Read More about Varroa destructor reproduction and cell re-capping in mite-resistant Apis mellifera populations.

Deformed wing virus in honeybees and other insects (2019)
Journal Article
Martin, S., & Brettell, L. (2019). Deformed wing virus in honeybees and other insects. Annual Review of Virology, 6(1), 49-69. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-virology-092818-015700

Deformed wing virus (DWV) has become the most well-known, widespread, and intensively studied insect pathogen in the world. Although DWV was previously present in honeybee populations, the arrival and global spread of a new vector, the ectoparasitic... Read More about Deformed wing virus in honeybees and other insects.

RNAseq analysis reveals virus diversity within Hawaiian apiary insect communities (2019)
Journal Article
Brettell, L., Schroeder, D., & Martin, S. (2019). RNAseq analysis reveals virus diversity within Hawaiian apiary insect communities. Viruses, 11(5), 397. https://doi.org/10.3390/v11050397

Deformed wing virus (DWV) is the most abundant viral pathogen of honey bees and has been associated with large-scale colony losses. DWV and other bee-associated RNA viruses are generalists capable of infecting diverse hosts. Here we used RNAseq analy... Read More about RNAseq analysis reveals virus diversity within Hawaiian apiary insect communities.

Evidence of Varroa -mediated deformed wing virus spillover in Hawaii (2017)
Journal Article
Santamaria, J., Villalobos, E., Brettell, L., Nikaido, S., Graham, J., & Martin, S. (2017). Evidence of Varroa -mediated deformed wing virus spillover in Hawaii. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 151, 126-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2017.11.008

The spread of disease between closely related species is often times exacerbated by a vector. In this study, the Varroa mite, a pest exclusive to honeybees, has been shown to amplify the natural levels of the Deformed Wing virus, resulting in a spill... Read More about Evidence of Varroa -mediated deformed wing virus spillover in Hawaii.

Novel RNA virus genome discovered in Ghost ants (Tapinoma melanocephalum) from Hawaii (2017)
Journal Article
Brettell, L., Mordecai, G., Pachori, P., & Martin, S. (2017). Novel RNA virus genome discovered in Ghost ants (Tapinoma melanocephalum) from Hawaii. Genome Announcements, 5(30), https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00669-17

Here we report the full genome sequence of Milolii virus, a novel single stranded (positive sense) RNA virus discovered from Tapinoma melanocephalum ants in Hawaii. The genome is 10,475 nucleotides long encoding a polyprotein of 3304 amino acids.

Oldest Varroa tolerant honey bee population provides insight into the origins of the global decline of honey bees (2017)
Journal Article
Brettell, L., & Martin, S. (2017). Oldest Varroa tolerant honey bee population provides insight into the origins of the global decline of honey bees. Scientific reports, 7, https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45953

The ecto-parasitic mite Varroa destructor has transformed the previously inconsequential Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) into the most important honey bee viral pathogen responsible for the death of millions of colonies worldwide. Naturally, DWV persists a... Read More about Oldest Varroa tolerant honey bee population provides insight into the origins of the global decline of honey bees.

A comparison of deformed wing virus in deformed and asymptomatic honey bees (2017)
Journal Article
Brettell, L., Mordecai, G., Schroeder, D., Jones, I., da Silva, J., Vicente-Rubiano, M., & Martin, S. (2017). A comparison of deformed wing virus in deformed and asymptomatic honey bees. Insects, 8(1), https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8010028

Deformed wing virus (DWV) in association with Varroa destructor is currently attributed to being responsible for colony collapse in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera). The appearance of deformed individuals within an infested colony has long been... Read More about A comparison of deformed wing virus in deformed and asymptomatic honey bees.

Moku virus : a new Iflavirus found in wasps, honey bees and Varroa (2016)
Journal Article
Mordecai, G., Brettell, L., Pachori, P., Villalobos, E., Martin, S., Jones, I., & Schroeder, D. (2016). Moku virus : a new Iflavirus found in wasps, honey bees and Varroa. Scientific reports, 6(34983), https://doi.org/10.1038/srep34983

There is an increasing global trend of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) affecting a wide range of species, including honey bees. The global epidemic of the single stranded RNA Deformed wing virus (DWV), driven by the spread of Varroa destructor ha... Read More about Moku virus : a new Iflavirus found in wasps, honey bees and Varroa.

Superinfection exclusion and the long-term survival of honey bees in Varroa-infested colonies (2015)
Journal Article
Mordecai, G. J., Brettell, L., Martin, S. J., Dixon, D., Jones, I. M., & Schroeder, D. C. (2016). Superinfection exclusion and the long-term survival of honey bees in Varroa-infested colonies. ISME Journal, 10(5), 1182-1191. https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2015.186

Over the past 50 years, many millions of European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies have died as the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, has spread around the world. Subsequent studies have indicated that the mite’s association with a group of R... Read More about Superinfection exclusion and the long-term survival of honey bees in Varroa-infested colonies.

Global honey bee viral landscape altered by a parasitic mite (2012)
Journal Article
Martin, S., Highfield, A., Brettell, L., Nikado, S., Villalobos, E., & Schoder, D. (2012). Global honey bee viral landscape altered by a parasitic mite. Science, 336(6086), 1304-1306. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1220941

Emerging diseases are among the greatest threats to honey bees. Unfortunately, where and when an emerging disease will appear are almost impossible to predict. The arrival of the parasitic Varroa mite into the Hawaiian honey bee population allowed... Read More about Global honey bee viral landscape altered by a parasitic mite.

The spread and evolution of RNA viruses among honey bees and the wider insect community with particular emphasis on deformed wing virus (DWV)
Thesis
Brettell, L. (in press). The spread and evolution of RNA viruses among honey bees and the wider insect community with particular emphasis on deformed wing virus (DWV). (Thesis). University of Salford

The honey bee is our most significant animal pollinator and is highly valued economically and culturally throughout the world. Unfortunately, over the last 30 years beekeepers across the globe have experienced significantly increased honey bee colony... Read More about The spread and evolution of RNA viruses among honey bees and the wider insect community with particular emphasis on deformed wing virus (DWV).