Quinolones residue in poultry meat and eggs; an alarming public health issue in Nepal

OBJECTIVE: Quinolones, critically important antimicrobials, pose public health risks due to potential antimicrobial resistance, allergic reactions, and other toxicities when residues persist in food. This study aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively assess quinolone residues in chicken meat and eggs supplied to Kathmandu, Nepal. Additionally, data on antibiotic usage trends were collected through a standardized questionnaire using Epicollect + Android application. A total of 120 chicken meat and 120 eggs were collected from five designated sectors. Initial screening for quinolone residues was performed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, and samples exceeding the maximum residue limit (MRL) were further analyzed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. RESULTS: Quinolone residues were detected in 88.3% of chicken meat and 80% of egg samples. Three chicken meat samples from Kathmandu exceeded the MRL (> 100ppb), with Enrofloxacin found in commercial and education sectors and both Enrofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin in the health sector. In eggs, residue prevalence was 83.9% in Kathmandu followed by Bhaktapur (76.9%) and Lalitpur (65%). Household eggs had the most residues (100%), and the education sector had the least (66.7%) (p = 0.0219). These findings indicate widespread and unregulated quinolone use in poultry production, highlighting the urgent need for prudent antibiotic stewardship to reduce antimicrobial resistance and associated health risks.