ARS | Publication request: SCREENING ANTIBIOTICS AGAINST RESISTANT AND SUSCEPTIBLE AMERICAN FOULBROOD

Submitted to: American Bee Research Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 15, 2001
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Since resistance of the causative organism of American foulbrood disease to oxytetracycline (OTC) is becoming widespread in the United States, we began a search for effective alternative antibiotics. We investigated 27 antibiotics, primarily ones already registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for agricultural uses. Bacterial resistance to OTC also conferred resistance to other tetracyclines, although the level of resistance varied. The most active antibiotics screened that are currently used in agriculture were erythromycin, lincomycin, monensin, and tylosin. Rifampicin was by far the most active antibiotic tested, but since it is used against tuberculosis, it is unlikely to be registered for agricultural use.