Efficiency of Certain Natural Extracts and Antibiotics in Managing the American Foulbrood (AFB) of Honey Bees in Egypt

The Present study was initiated for controlling the American foulbrood (AFB) disease of honey bee colonies in six selected apiaries at El-Beheira and two apiaries at Kafr El- Sheikh Governorates. The performed control techniques were run along May 2016, upon inspected honey bee colonies of Carniolan hybrid, which were choosed to study and evaluate the efficiency of different used materials for the management of the American foulbrood (AFB) disease. These tested materials implied the antibiotics: Tylosin®, Terramycin® and Sulfa dimidin sodium® 20%. The following natural materials: Cinnamon oil, Propolis, Ginger, Aloe vera and Aprogin (Aloe vera+ Ginger+ Propolis) part / part. The obtained results elucidated that all of the tested materials were effective against AFB disease. Under the laboratory conditions Tylosin® gave higher efficient effect expressed by inhibition zone with 2.77 cm diameter, versus Propolis which was the lowest efficient material (0.13 cm diameter). The other tested materials of Cinnamon oil, Aloe vera, Terramycin®, Sulfa dimidin sodium® 20%, and Ginger gave varied efficiency represented by more or less inhibition zone diameters of 2.067, 1.933, 1.83, 0.77 and 0.16 cm respectively. In the treated apiaries Tylosin® gave higher reduction - 94.1%, while Ginger gave the lowest efficacy with 40.6% reduction.