Two types of RNA-5-containing beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) have been detected in the UK at different sites in Norfolk. On the basis of nucleotide (nt) sequence comparisons, one virus source (UK-MH) was clearly identified as P type BNYVV, a virus type that had previously only been detected in two widely separated parts of the world, France and Kazakhstan. The other virus source (UK-FF) has a complex genome composition. The analysed portions of its RNAs 2 and 4 are closely related to the corresponding portions in the RNAs of the East Asian A type isolate S, whereas those of its RNAs 1 and 3 resemble P type RNA 1 from Kazakhstan and European A type RNA 3, respectively. Interestingly, the P25 encoded on its RNA 3 has an unique TYHG tetrad in the highly variable amino acid positions 67-70. RNA 5 of the UK-FF BNYVV source shares properties with P type RNA 5, but also with East Asian types of RNA 5. The possible origin and epidemiology of BNYVV types is discussed.

Bee parasitic mite syndrome is a disease complex of colonies simultaneously infested with Varroa destructor mites and infected with viruses and accompanied by high mortality. By using real-time PCR (TaqMan), five out of seven bee viruses were detected in mite samples (V. destructor) collected from Thailand. Moreover, the results of this study provide an evidence for the co-existence of several bee viruses in a single mite. This is also the first report of bee viruses in mites from Thailand.