Background Due to high disease burden and poor animal health services in Uganda, administration of antimicrobials particularly oxytetracycline (OTC) is often done by farm owners and workers without any prescription. This results in misuse of OTC with consequent high chances of antibiotic residues and antimicrobial resistance hence posing public health threat. The degree of public health threat from OTC use is not well established due to limited published data on antibiotic residues and usage in livestock production in Uganda. This study comparatively determined OTC residue levels in 318 samples of bovine muscles, liver and kidney tissues from Kiruhura, Mbarara and Ntungamo districts of South Western Uganda during dry and wet seasons. Results The results revealed that the overall OTC residues positivity levels was 74.84% while the district wise rates were 56.88%, 84% and 84.52% for Kiruhura, Mbarara and Ntungamo, respectively. The mean OTC residue levels in bovine muscles, liver and kidney tissues were above the recommended maximum residue limits of 200, 600 and 1200 µg/kg, respectively as established by FAO/WHO. Of the collected samples, 72.41% (236/318) had OTC residues in concentrations above the recommended maximum residue limits. Wilcoxon signed rank test results showed that change in the seasons did not cause any significant changes in the liver OTC residue levels for all the districts, though this was significant for muscles from Kiruhura and Mbarara districts. Unacceptably high OTC levels were found in the muscles, liver and some kidney samples: Kiruhura muscles and liver samples had mean OTC concentrations of 1094 ± 378 µg/kg and 967 ± 198 µg/kg; Mbarara muscles, liver and kidney samples had mean OTC mean concentrations of 668 ± 163 µg/kg, 3778 ± 1140 µg/kg and 12,576 ± 1630 µg/kg, respectively while Ntungamo samples had mean OTC concentrations of 586 ± 123 µg/kg and 5194 ± 1463 µg/kg in muscle and liver tissues. Conclusions The results of this study indicated that there are unacceptably high OTC residue levels in bovine tissues consumed in South Western Uganda. This poses a public and veterinary health threat to consumers of these bovine tissues.

Anthrax outbreaks are very frequent and recurrent in the Rubirizi district in landing sites along the Kazinga channel in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. This has persistently caused huge losses of domestic and wild animals and increased public health risks to communities. A participatory disease search (PDS) was thus conducted to identify risk factors that influence the recurrent occurrence of the outbreaks. Using PDS tools, including, Focus group discussion, Mapping, Seasonal calendars, Timelines and Pairwise ranking, local communities were engaged to recall detailed information regarding previous anthrax outbreaks. The number of persons that participated in focus group discussions ranged from 16 in Kazinga landing site to 22 in Katunguru, 18 in Kashaka landing site and 20 in Kishenyi landing site The findings revealed anthrax outbreaks had been reported previously in Katunguru, Kyabakara, Katera, Kingu and Ryeyu sub-counties of Rubirizi district that lie within or adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The last anthrax outbreak occurred in 2014. Death of goats and sheep and wild animals, especially, hippopotami was reported in the landing sites of Kazinga, Katunguru, Kishenyi and Kashaka in Katunguru Subcounty. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) established burial sites for carcasses of dead hippopotami in Kazinga and Kishenyi landing sites. Key risk factors associated with anthrax outbreaks (see attached ranks) in Rubirizi district included: (1) Frequent droughts and associated floods (2.5); (2) Dwelling in landing sites normally used as burial areas for carcasses of dead animals by Uganda Wildlife Authority (2.8); (3) Free movement of goats and sheep and intermingling with wildlife at landing sites along Kazinga channel (3.0); (4) Community habit of eating the meat of dead wild or domestic animals (3.8); (5) Communities eating not well-cooked meat (4.0); (6) Ignorance among communities regarding anthrax and its mode of spread (4.8); (7) Frequent migration of communities from landing sites with low to those with a high risk of anthrax disease (6.5); (8) Grazing domestic animals in close proximity with wildlife in the Game Park (6.8); (9) Communities consuming game meat (8.0); and (10) Frequent occurrence of anthrax outbreaks and spread of anthrax spores through floods and existing water bodies (8.3). In conclusion, the PDS case study successfully identified risk factors associated with anthrax outbreaks in Katunguru Subcounty of Rubirizi district in Uganda. Sensitization of communities on anthrax, its mode of spread and effective and sustainable control was recommended in order to contain anthrax outbreaks.

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