Assessing use of sulfonamides in chicken from poultry farms in Kampala

Abstract

Background Sulfonamides are used in poultry production for prevention and treatment of infections. Irrational use of these drugs and/or poor adherence to drug withdrawal period has resulted in reports of unacceptable residue levels in poultry products that are a public health risk. The use of sulfonamides is possibly influenced by knowledge, attitudes and practices of farmers. Objective The study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitudes and practices of chicken farmers in Kampala on use of sulfonamides and quantifying sulfonamide residues in the chicken meat. Methods A cross sectional study was done in Kampala where seventy three (73) poultry farmers were systematically sampled. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered and forty (40) chicken meat samples where analyzed for presence of sulfonamide residues using ELISA kit. The results analyzed using SPSS 17.0 for descriptive statistics and Microsoft excel. Results Forty-seven (64.4%) of the respondents during the study said that they used sulfonamide antibiotics to treat diseases on the farm, 24(32.9%) for prophylaxis and 2(2.7%) to promote growth of the chicken. Sixty-seven (91.8%) of the respondents didn’t adhere to the recommended withdrawal periods. Forty-three (58.9%) of the respondents said that non-adherence to the recommended withdrawal periods of sulfonamides posed no risk to the consumers of chicken meat. Nine (22.5%) of the chicken meat samples tested contained sulfamethazine residues above the maximum recommended value of 100mcg/per kg. Conclusion Consumers of chicken from poultry farms in Kampala are at high risk of sulfonamide residue exposure due to irrational farming practices and low adherence to withdrawal periods of sulfonamides. Recommendation The government and all stakeholders in the poultry industry in Uganda should develop a food safety policy and also sensitize farmers on good veterinary and pharmacy practices