Quoting from Robin Dartingtons mail referring to EFB/
"Even if resistant bees were introduced, all infected equipment would still
need to be destroyed as
it apparently remains infectious for at least 40 years and not all bees will
be of new resistant"

EFB is caused by a non-spore forming bacteria - Melissococcus pluton, which
only survives on combs.  In the UK it is treated by using the antibiotic
oxytracycline(OTC) in sugar syrup on colonies where less than 50% of the
larvae are infected. The bees are re-combed and can recover. I the infection
is too serious the bees are killed and they, together with all combs, wax and
honey, are burnt. The hive is then flamed to kill all traces.
A new treatment is to make a "shook swarm" i.e. shake all the bees into a new
box of new frames and foundation and then treat with OTC.  The first
indications are that the level of reoccurrence of the disease is reduced by
this method.
To answer the question EFB is not very resistant and can be cleaned from
equipment easily unlike AFB which forms spores which will survive quite harsh
treatments and in the UK is controlled by killing and burning the colony
except for any parts that can be flamed to a chocolate colour.

Bob Gilbert
Tamworth
Staffordshire
England

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