> > hence spread the disease around.
 
 
> I wonder, is tetracycline used in Auz?  Seems to me that NZ frowns on it.
 
"The only method of treatment permitted in nearly all states of
Australia is destruction by fire of infected bees and combs under the
supervision of an apiary inspector.  Hive components and empty combs
may be saved and sterilised using cobalt 60 gamma irradiation....."
source as below
 
> However, one AFB spore cannot cause the disease, I understand.  It takes
 
Why not??  Surely, if a single spore is fed to a single larva, and
multiplies inside the larva as bacteria is wont to do ("Within about
24 hours, the spore germinates in the gut of the larva, giving rise
to rod shaped `vegetative' organisms.  These invade the haemolymph
and body tissues, where they grow and multiply, RAPIDLY reaching very
large numbers just before the larva begins pupation. The infected
larva usually dies at the propupal stage, and EACH vegetative rod
forms a minute oval spore." Quoted from "Beekeeping: Diseases of
bees" By Russel Goodman)  SO if I understand that paragraph right,
one spore is all it takes to spread the disease
 
 
> In the case where periodic medication occurs during dearth periods, I am
> sure there is zero risk.
 
You could be right, but as mentioned above, there are no permissable
treatments available in australia......although, one (complete moron)
beekeeper I know, (are there any Aussie Apiary inspectors reading
this??) claims to have "controlled" AFB using terramyacin.
 
> Comments?
Just one more, from the same sourse as the other two...."The
incidence of AFB in most states of Australia, where destruction is
the only permitted treatment, is much lower than in countries where
drug treatment is generally used.  For example, 5% incidence of the
disease is considered acceptable in many parts of the Uited States,
compared with a normal incidence of less than 1% in victoria" (quoted
earlier as 0.75%)
 
It may be that the figures shown here are inacurate, but I would
suspect that they are reasonable well researched.  Maybe the
information above will help people understand why I am so worried
about AFB....that and the fact that my father lost his 30 hives to it
8 years ago.
 
Adrian.