PubMed · 2026-04-09
Advances in DNA sequencing now let researchers detect viruses in insects and other invertebrates quickly and cheaply, even when infections show no obvious symptoms. This matters because insects used in farming, pollination, and food production may carry hidden viruses that affect their health or spread to plants and animals.
Modern genome-sequencing technologies enable rapid, low-cost detection of invertebrate viruses even at very low infection levels in both wild and mass-reared populations.
Covert (symptom-free) viral infections in mass-reared invertebrate colonies raise unresolved questions about impacts on colony performance, sanitation, and animal health.
The special issue links viral sequence diversity and detection directly to food, feed safety, and international trade policy for invertebrate products.