This is my fist input on the List although I fallow it
more than a year. I understand that these discussion
group is mostly American oriented but I think that also more
European input would be very interesting for
everyone.
Recently one company from Bulgarija (that is my
neighboring country, because I live in Macedonia) has
launch on their market one new product (name:
"Biopapir") The main ingredient, or so called active
substance is some Russian made/discovered
antibiotic called: Rifampicin.
Have anyone ever heard of these antibiotic (in human or livestosk contex)?
Any reference?
Residue problems? I only heard that these antibiotic
is used in other livestock (veterinarian) and human
remedies. This should be first time for this
Rifampicin to be used for bees officially. The product
("Biopapir") i licensed and registered in Bulgaria for
treating or "curing" bacterial diseases in honeybees
such is: American foulbrood, European foulbrood,
septicemia, etc.
It is also very interesting and new (at least for me)
how this product works. These are narrow strips of
paper, resembling Apistan, which are impregnated with
active substance. With biting bees actually try to
remove the paper from the hive and that way they
disperse this Rifampicin.
Producer suggest using it 3 or 4 times, in intervals
of 7 - 8 days. One strip for preventive treatment and
2 - 3 strips for treatment of clinically diseased
hive.
I personally have never used any antibiotic for
treating my bees, but in my country there isn't any
law which forbidden it (as in Germany, for instance)
and I am concern and suppose that these product will be used by
someone in the future.


=====
Aleksandar Mihajlovski, editor of
Macedonian beekeeping journal: "Melitagora"

Address of "Melitagora":
Ul. Helsinki 41 a, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia
Tel./Fax(modem): ++ 389 2 363-424