A pathogen screen based on bacterial/fungal cultures ormicroscopic examinations revealed the absence
of American and European foulbrood, chalkbrood disease, acariosis and nosemosis. However, 13 bee samples
(15.47 %) were found to be infected by viruses as determined by PCR-based techniques. Acute bee paralysis virus
(ABPV; 8.33 %) and Black queen cell virus (4.76 %) were the most common. From the former we found a strain
with an unusual molecular signature of the capsid region, which was taxonomically positioned between ABPVand
Israeli acute paralysis virus. We also discovered Lake Sinai virus (LSV; 3.57 %) for the first time in Africa. Eight
honey samples collected in regions where cotton was cultivated were subjected to multi-residue and quality control
analyses.