Veterinary use of antibiotics and contamination of pork consumed in Côte d’Ivoire by oxytetracycline, tylosin and amoxicillin residues

This study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of three veterinary antibiotics in pig meat consumed in the District of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire: oxytetracycline, tylosin and amoxicillin. Muscle samples taken from 90 pigs slaughtered at SIVAC (Ivorian Slaughtering and Cold Cuts Company) of Yopougon (Abidjan, Ivory Coast) were analysed by the “Premi®Test” analysis kit. The concentrations of oxytetracycline, tylosin and amoxicillin residues were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. Of the 90 samples analysed, 31.11% were contaminated with oxytetracycline, tylosin and amoxicillin. The average level of contamination of pork meat with oxytetracycline residues was 488.57 ± 285.95 µg/kg, Those of tylosin and amoxicillin residues were 353.21 ± 391.51 and 279.64 ± 104.82 µg/kg respectively. Compared to the reference values, the amonts of residues found in pork were well above the tolerated values. This study confirms the presence of oxytetracyclinе, tylosin and amoxicillin residues in pork meat sold in Abidjan. The levels of contamination with the three antibiotics did not depend on the sex and breed of the animals. It is therefore urgent to undertake correlational studies linking the consumption of pork in the District of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) and the occurrence of metabolic diseases.