Evaluation of oxytetracycline in the prevention of American foulbrood in bee colonies

Abstract

In this paper, we presented the procedure of artificial infection of bee colonies with American Foulbrood 
by the spores of Panibacillus larvae (P. larvae). Bee colonies were treated with oxytetracycline that was 
applied in a patty and sugar syrup. The symptoms and the course of the disease within the bee colony 
were monitored. Our research included 20 bee colonies divided in three experimental and one control 
group. Every bee colony consisted of 2000 young worker bees and a young breeder queen. After laying 
of first eggs three experimental groups were infected with spore-suspension of P. laervae at 
concentration 2x109 spore/ml. The development of the disease was monitored under the following 
experimental conditions: Experimental group I did not receive antimicrobial therapy, Groups II and III 
were given antibiotics in a sugar syrup and extender patty, respectively. In the first experimental group 
the first clinical signs were observed on day 25. while vegetative form of P. larvae was detected on day 
12. Treatment with oxytetracycline in the second and third group delayed the manifest disease until day 47