DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR CONTROL OF ANTIMICROBIAL DRUG RESIDUES IN MILK

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study evaluated a developed risk assessment tool for control of antimicrobial residues in milk within Kenya. Eleven risk characteristics predicting residue contamination were identified and assessed from farms (n = 184), of which five were associated with a higher residue risk (P < 0.05). A score (0–5) was derived for each of the five factors and a ± 3 score used to define high risk. The tool was validated on farms (n = 100) in a local and remote cohort study and observed to have a 91% sensitivity and 75% specificity. The risk of violative antimicrobial drug residues in milk supplies decreased by 52% (P < 0.05) when the risk tool was applied in a single blind randomized control study on farms (42 cases and 42 controls). The risk assessment tool was concluded to offer good potential of being used within a control program to minimize violative antimicrobial drug residues in farm milk.