Kampala milk not safe â€" Report
Nov 21, 2006
The New York Times recently reported an outbreak of Escherichia coli in 25 states in America, with over 170 people infected and three dead as a result of eating spinach contaminated by the deadly bacteria best known as E.coli.
By Esther Alalo
The New York Times recently reported an outbreak of Escherichia coli in 25 states in America, with over 170 people infected and three dead as a result of eating spinach contaminated by the deadly bacteria best known as E.coli.
While this may sound remote, a research by Dr Frank Mwine of Makerere University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has discovered antimicrobial residues, brucellosis and the deadly E-coli 0157:H7 in milk from cattle reared in Kampala and its suburbs.
Unhealthy milk
The 2004 study supported by Innovations at Makerere Committee (I@mak.com) was done in 10 parishes in Kampala, to assess the benefits and health risks associated with milk. The study also revealed a high prevalence of brucella abortus in milk samples collected from the parts of Bukesa, Mpererwe, Banda, Ggaba, Kyanja, Bukoto, Buziga, Bukasa and Kamwokya.
E.coli causes bloody diarrhoea and occasional kidney failure. It can be got from eating undercooked or contaminated meat, contaminated fresh vegetables, taking unpasturised or raw milk, person to person contact, and swimming in or drinking contaminated water. It is also found in animal dung.
According to Mwine, consumers of livestock products stand a risk of contracting E.coli because of poor hygiene and negligence of urban farmers.
“Although my study did not concentrate much on E.coli, there is evidence that the bacterium exists. It is just a matter of time and we will begin hearing cases of people suffering from it,†Mwine said.
He said two milk samples were found positive with E.coli0157: H7. “The problem is the absence of animal vaccination by dairy farmers, ignorance of the diseases and poor hygiene practices. There is also poor management and husbandry practices,†said Mwine.
However, the Dairy Development Authority (DDA) dismissed the findings as baseless and out-dated. “Our current research of 2004-2006 did not show any E.coli in any milk sample in any part of the country. Besides, we haven’t yet even heard of it in any food staff,†said a DDA official who preferred anonymity.
Brucellocis
The official further said brucellosis is not a serious health problem in Kampala and Uganda at large.
It is caused by bacteria known as brucella which infects humans through contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.
In humans, brucella can cause a range of symptoms such as fever, sweat, headache, back pains, and physical weakness. It can also cause severe infection of the central nervous system and long-lasting symptoms such as recurrent fever, joint pain and fatigue.
Mwine alleged that some individuals from the study areas had medical forms in which they were tested and confirmed suffering from the disease.
The officials from DDA, however, dispute this. “We have trained farmers and all stakeholders across the board on how to handle milk. We have even sensitised consumers through radio talkshows so there is no cause for alarm,†said the official
Drug residues
Milk consumers, according to Mwine, are also endangered by the presence of antimicrobial residues in the milk sold in Kampala. These are drugs used in the treatment of animals.
He said most livestock farmers in Kampala do not observe the withdrawal period as directed by the veterinary doctors. They go ahead and milk cows that are on treatment. “The cow being treated is not supposed to be milked for at least three days to allow the drug level to go down,†said Mwine.
“Taking milk with antimicrobial residues could affect one’s body response to treatment,†said Mwine.
He attributed the allergies that some people suffer especially after taking milk, to the effect of antimicrobial residues.
But again, DDA denied this saying if there were antimicrobial residues in milk in Kampala, then there would be less yogurt and cheese in the city. “Milk does not coagulate when there are antibodies in it and it is obvious that bacteria occur in raw milk. The research may have been carried out on raw milk,†said an official from DDA.
Recommendations
Mwine appealed to cattle rearing enterprises in the urban and peri-urban areas to observe strict hygiene practices, drug withdrawal periods, to embrace testing and vaccination programmes and pasteurisation and boiling of milk before selling it to the public.
He also called for a regular risk assessment of drug residues in animal products and sensitisation of dairy farmers on health risks associated with poor animal husbandry poor hygiene and brucellosis.
“Education and improved sanitation could greatly reduce the incidence of some of these diseases,†said Mwine.
He further recommended that a systematic vaccination for brucellosis using Rev 4 vaccine be carried out.
Kampala City Council officials said they were sensitising dairy farmers on the best farming practices to avoid such health risks. “We also discourage cattle grazing in the city centre by arresting wandering animals,†said a KCC official.
Ends
The New York Times recently reported an outbreak of Escherichia coli in 25 states in America, with over 170 people infected and three dead as a result of eating spinach contaminated by the deadly bacteria best known as E.coli.
While this may sound remote, a research by Dr Frank Mwine of Makerere University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has discovered antimicrobial residues, brucellosis and the deadly E-coli 0157:H7 in milk from cattle reared in Kampala and its suburbs.
Unhealthy milk
The 2004 study supported by Innovations at Makerere Committee (I@mak.com) was done in 10 parishes in Kampala, to assess the benefits and health risks associated with milk. The study also revealed a high prevalence of brucella abortus in milk samples collected from the parts of Bukesa, Mpererwe, Banda, Ggaba, Kyanja, Bukoto, Buziga, Bukasa and Kamwokya.
E.coli causes bloody diarrhoea and occasional kidney failure. It can be got from eating undercooked or contaminated meat, contaminated fresh vegetables, taking unpasturised or raw milk, person to person contact, and swimming in or drinking contaminated water. It is also found in animal dung.
According to Mwine, consumers of livestock products stand a risk of contracting E.coli because of poor hygiene and negligence of urban farmers.
“Although my study did not concentrate much on E.coli, there is evidence that the bacterium exists. It is just a matter of time and we will begin hearing cases of people suffering from it,†Mwine said.
He said two milk samples were found positive with E.coli0157: H7. “The problem is the absence of animal vaccination by dairy farmers, ignorance of the diseases and poor hygiene practices. There is also poor management and husbandry practices,†said Mwine.
However, the Dairy Development Authority (DDA) dismissed the findings as baseless and out-dated. “Our current research of 2004-2006 did not show any E.coli in any milk sample in any part of the country. Besides, we haven’t yet even heard of it in any food staff,†said a DDA official who preferred anonymity.
Brucellocis
The official further said brucellosis is not a serious health problem in Kampala and Uganda at large.
It is caused by bacteria known as brucella which infects humans through contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.
In humans, brucella can cause a range of symptoms such as fever, sweat, headache, back pains, and physical weakness. It can also cause severe infection of the central nervous system and long-lasting symptoms such as recurrent fever, joint pain and fatigue.
Mwine alleged that some individuals from the study areas had medical forms in which they were tested and confirmed suffering from the disease.
The officials from DDA, however, dispute this. “We have trained farmers and all stakeholders across the board on how to handle milk. We have even sensitised consumers through radio talkshows so there is no cause for alarm,†said the official
Drug residues
Milk consumers, according to Mwine, are also endangered by the presence of antimicrobial residues in the milk sold in Kampala. These are drugs used in the treatment of animals.
He said most livestock farmers in Kampala do not observe the withdrawal period as directed by the veterinary doctors. They go ahead and milk cows that are on treatment. “The cow being treated is not supposed to be milked for at least three days to allow the drug level to go down,†said Mwine.
“Taking milk with antimicrobial residues could affect one’s body response to treatment,†said Mwine.
He attributed the allergies that some people suffer especially after taking milk, to the effect of antimicrobial residues.
But again, DDA denied this saying if there were antimicrobial residues in milk in Kampala, then there would be less yogurt and cheese in the city. “Milk does not coagulate when there are antibodies in it and it is obvious that bacteria occur in raw milk. The research may have been carried out on raw milk,†said an official from DDA.
Recommendations
Mwine appealed to cattle rearing enterprises in the urban and peri-urban areas to observe strict hygiene practices, drug withdrawal periods, to embrace testing and vaccination programmes and pasteurisation and boiling of milk before selling it to the public.
He also called for a regular risk assessment of drug residues in animal products and sensitisation of dairy farmers on health risks associated with poor animal husbandry poor hygiene and brucellosis.
“Education and improved sanitation could greatly reduce the incidence of some of these diseases,†said Mwine.
He further recommended that a systematic vaccination for brucellosis using Rev 4 vaccine be carried out.
Kampala City Council officials said they were sensitising dairy farmers on the best farming practices to avoid such health risks. “We also discourage cattle grazing in the city centre by arresting wandering animals,†said a KCC official.
Ends