Bees with paralysis? Researchers from INTA developed a tool with RNA technology capable of combating a virus.

Yes, bees can also suffer from paralysis. In particular, a condition caused by the ABPV virus, which has become one of the most harmful pathogens for beekeeping. And not only that: it can also cause tremors, hair loss, inability to fly, and sudden death. Given that Argentina is one of the main exporters of honey worldwide, a team of researchers from INTA studied the application of biotechnological tools to stop the progression of this disease. The most successful one was the one that applies RNA interference technology, which has already shown promising results. “We demonstrated that the oral administration of interfering RNA reduces the viral load and significantly improves the survival of bees infected with ABPV,” explained Cecilia Ferrufino, a researcher at the Virology Institute of INTA and responsible for the development. According to INTA, RNA interference consists of introducing double-stranded molecules that block the replication of the virus within the insect, thus ...