Pathogenicity and transmission of Morganella morganii in honey bees.

ABSTRACT: Honey bees provide essential pollination services in the ecosystem. The high annual loss of honey bees has raised concerns about global food security and the agricultural economy. As a primary stressor causing colony failure, the mite Varroa destructor feeds on the hemolymph and the bee's fat body tissue. The Varroa mite-associated deformed wing virus has been extensively studied because it can be found in each individual mite and causes bee mortality. A recent study shows that the Varroa mite can transmit pathogenic bacteria, while the transmission route remains unclear. In this study, we isolated and assembled a previously uncultured bacterium, Morganella morganii, from the mites Varroa destructor. This pathogenic bacterium exhibited a high case fatality rate, as evidenced by 215 cells c

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12543119 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature