Bob Harrison writes:

<<Hello Peter and All,
Peter we have had this discussion before on the Irish bee list a few years
ago I believe . I am truly sorry terramycin can not be used in your country
or so I have been told for EFB (European foulbrood). Ken Hoare and others in
the UK advocate the burning of equipment etc. for EFB.

Most beekeepers in the U.S. only consider EFB as a minor problem.

Easily cleared up with terramycin and easily cleaned up by the bees.

Even though a bacteriostat the terramycin works if used properly and a hell
of a lot easier than the procedures used against EFB in the UK.>>

    Except that we do treat for all but serious cases, with TM (which has to
be officially administered by the bee inspector), and the problem has been
that the disease recurs later in too many cases. Experiments are currently
being conducted on a new technique, which involves shaking down, destruction
of the brood, and treatment with TM. this appears to be more successful. Dare
I suggest that the success of TM in the States is due to its regular use as a
prophylactic, and that one-off  curative use might not be so successful? The
penalty for that is resistant AFB.

Regards,

Robert Brenchley
[log in to unmask]
Birmingham UK