Prevalence and factors associated with crossover use of human anti-microbials in livestock in Buikwe District

Abstract

Introduction: Use of human antibiotics to treat animals, increase production and prevent disease is a common practice in the livestock industry and has been associated with anti-microbial resistance, a global health concern. However, data about the practice is limited in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with crossover use of human anti-microbials among livestock in Buikwe district, a district in Uganda, a low income country.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with cross-over use of human anti-microbials in livestock in Buikwe district.

Methods: Three hundred eighty-five (385) farms in Njeru municipality, Buikwe district were randomly sampled and assessed using a 4-section interviewer administered questionnaire for prevalence and factors associated with cross over use of human antibiotics in their animals. Simple frequency was used to determine proportion, bivariate and multi variate analysis done to determine the variables predicting career aspirations of the students

Results: Out of 385 farmers sampled, 34.8% used human anti-microbials on their animals; of those who gave human anti-microbial to animals, 53.8% bought them from human pharmacies and 46.2% bought them from human drug shops. Majority of the farmers used human anti-microbials in animals for therapeutic purposes i.e. 96.8% of the farmers with fluoroquinolones, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and amoxicillin being the most commonly used anti-microbials. Cattle (42.9%) were the most frequently treated animals with human anti-microbials. There was significant association between animal husbandry training, number of animals kept and availability of veterinary officers with cross over use of human anti-microbials in animals.

Conclusions and recommendation: The findings reflect a moderately high prevalence of human anti amongst the farmers in Buikwe district which is a driver for development of resistance that is detrimental to both human and animal health. microbials use in livestock antimicrobial Further studies be conducted to assess the association of different factors leading to human antibiotic use among farmers in different settings of Uganda and also conduct laboratory studies on the animals to ascertain the levels of antimicrobial residues in their samples like blood, saliva among others.