Abstract

The poultry sector contributes significantly to Kenya’s food and economic security. This contribution is expected to rise dramatically with a growing population, urbanization, and preferences for animal-source foods. Antimicrobial resistance is putting the poultry sector in Kenya—and worldwide—at risk of production losses due to the failure of medicines for animal (and human) health. The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance has been linked to overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in poultry and other sectors. Previous studies have documented poultry farmer antimicrobial use but without systematic consideration of the contexts (i.e., drivers) as important targets for behavior change, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To improve understanding of antimicrobial use patterns in poultry systems, we conducted a mixed-methods knowledge, attitudes, and practices study of 76 layer farms in Kiambu County; Kenya. We found that commonly used antibiotics were often labeled for prophylactic, growth promotion, and egg production improvement purposes. Antimicrobial use was also motivated by the presence of diseases/disease symptoms, most of which could instead be managed through infection prevention measures. The results suggest that improving vaccination and biosecurity practices on farms and engaging with drug-makers to ensure proper labeling and marketing of antimicrobial drugs may represent important areas of opportunity for social behavior change communication and/or behavioral science interventions (i.e., nudges) to reduce disease burdens and promote prudent antimicrobial use. We conclude our findings with suggestions for further research into the behavioral insights at play in these scenarios to fuel future intervention development.

Highlights

  • The poultry sector is a cornerstone of food and economic security in Kenya

  • The poultry industry in Kenya—and worldwide—is under threat from the emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections due to antimicrobial resistance. These infections are expected to result in significant production losses and the widespread failure of medicines for animal and human health unless action is taken to better control antimicrobial resistance (AMR) [4,5]

  • Studies in Kenya and other LMICs indicate that AMR is already spreading through poultry systems [5,6,7]

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Summary

Introduction

The poultry sector is a cornerstone of food and economic security in Kenya. In 2014, the contributions of poultry and eggs to Kenya’s agricultural gross domestic product were estimated at 1.3% (USD 46.16 million) and 2.9% (USD 103.05 million), respectively [1]. The poultry industry in Kenya—and worldwide—is under threat from the emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections due to antimicrobial resistance These infections are expected to result in significant production losses and the widespread failure of medicines for animal and human health unless action is taken to better control antimicrobial resistance (AMR) [4,5]. A study conducted in Kenya to estimate AMR patterns in various bacteria isolated from chickens found a high prevalence of resistance to commonly used antibiotics, including ampicillin (76%), tetracycline (71%), sulphamethoxazole (70%), and co-trimoxazole (66%) [8] In another Kenyan study, approximately 40% of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis isolates from seemingly healthy animals and animal products showed resistance to commonly used antibiotics, making these drugresistant bacteria a public health threat [9]

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