Hi Abbas,

Where I keep bees the short answer to this question is, "Yes you can, but no you may not."

First, you do not state what disease (s) you want to prevent/control.  Prior to oxytetracycline, sulfa drugs were used to prevent/control American Foulbrood.  Sulfa drugs were effective, but left residues in honey.  With the advent of  oxytetracycline (terramycin), sulfa drugs were withdrawn from the list of approved chemicals in a beehive.  After 50+ years as the sole sanctioned antibiotic, Paenibacillus larvae is becomming resistant to TM.  The newest treatment to replace TM is tylosin, which is also prone to leaving residues in honey long after it is used.  Furthermore, in New York we have a catch 22 in that tylosin is only labeled to treat active cases of AFB, and New York State requires that all active cases of AFB be burned.

Sulfa drugs, as far as I know, can be an effective treatment for AFB.  However, in New York State I may not use them.

Now please folks, don't use this post to fuel up the discussion about natural/unnaturat/biological/organic beekeeping, that thread is really quite worn out and seems to be going nowhere (less filling, tastes great)!  Can sulfa drugs treat AFB?  Yes the can.  In New York I may not use them.  Should one use them?  That debate can go on forever with no real answer.  Please, lets skip that debate.

Aaron Morris - thinking the label is the law!


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