Mason Harris asks about treating AFB without having the treatment kill
the patient.
 
In days before burning was the only "sanctioned" treatment, AFB was
sometimes addressed by shaking all the bees from infected equipment into
new uninfected equipment (saving the bees) and then burning the infected
equipment, BROOD AND HONEY INCLUDED.  Boxes can be scorched and reused.
 
Remember, AFB is a brood disease.  Brood is prerequisite for AFB to thrive.
Breaking the brood cycle by the shaking exercise mentioned above provides
a period for the beekeeper to treat with TM to stop the AFB cycle before
brood is present to keep the AFB cycle going.
 
Remember also that AFB is highly contagious and easily transferable.
The possibility of transferring AFB from infected equipment to new or
uninfected equipment ALWAYS exists.  However, beekeepers who kept bees
when my grandfather kept bees - before government agencies insisted that
everything be burned, were known to transfer infected bees into clean
equipment without transfering the disease.  Even in the days before
oxytet.
 
However, ... usual disclaimer about AFB (only sanctioned treatment in
most states is burn, cost of one hive is significantly less than an
infected apiary, yada yada yada).
 
Please consider this a history lesson, not a recommendation, especially
in the state of Texas!
 
Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!