>
> Seeing as we are exchanging opinions here, I'll repeat mine: IMO, extender
> patties were part of the solution, not part of the cause.  IMO, chronic
> under-dosing was the cause of most of the selection and concentration of
> resistant bacteria, partly due to the rapid fade characteristic of OTC. IMO,
> higher and more even doses, such as maintained by extender patties could
> well have delayed the emergence of resistant strains.
>

What substantiates your opinion that extender patties had increased doses of
OTC? It would appear that the bees took them down much slower and sometimes
barely at all, so the dose would be much less and would extend over a long
period, classic methods to cause resistance. I see no way that extender
patties could deliver the recommended label dose as bees do not follow
directions well when it comes to consuming pollen patties, grease patties
and the like. Mostly too fast or too slow and seldom just right.

I realize that there is no direct causal relationship, but it certainly is
convincing, to me, since extender patties were followed by resistance.

Also, the problem with extender patties is they were too easy to apply and
became preventative rather than a treatment for AFB. We certainly know that
antibiotic resistance occurs when they are used when they are not needed and
used too often, which fits extender patties directly.

Plus, I think it is impossible to prove just when any resistance happens
since it occurs over time and you cannot point to a second in time and say
Eureka! That's it!

Extender patties sure fits the profile for how to develop resistance.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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