You actually want to read details of the studies that show how everyday eggs and chicken carry antibiotic residues that could backfire on human health
Health experts warned that the increasing presence of these drug traces in poultry products is heightening the risk of antimicrobial resistance in humans.
According to US-based Jones Dairy Farm, antibiotics are commonly used in livestock when animals are sick, to prevent disease outbreaks on farms, and in some cases to promote growth.
But recent research now exposes the hidden dangers lurking in everyday diets, showing that many formal, informal, and small-scale poultry farmers in Nigeria use one or more antibiotics indiscriminately.
The result, experts say, is that measurable quantities of these substances remain in chicken meat and eggs long after they leave the farm.
The residue levels found in poultry products in some instances exceed amounts considered tolerable for human consumption.
Last month, the African Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Research raised fresh alarm over residual drug accumulation in edible tissues and the risks this poses to animal health, food safety, and public health.
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In a study published by Ibrahim Yusha’u and colleagues, titled, ‘Antibiotic Residue Accumulation in Poultry Meat and Its Implications for Food Safety and Public Health in Keffi Metropolis, Nigeria,’ researchers confirmed high concentrations of antibiotic residues in chicken meat, eggs, and other poultry products.
The study examined the presence, concentrations, and biological implications of residual antibiotics in broiler chicken breast and liver samples collected from poultry farms and retail supermarkets across Keffi metropolis.
According to the 10-man research team from Nasarawa State University, broiler chickens were administered commonly used antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones, sulphonamides, gentamicin, oxytetracycline, neomycin, tylosin, and penicillin, while a control group received none.
“At the end, antibiotic residues in poultry and supermarket samples were analysed using chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques. Secondary exposure and bioaccumulation were assessed in albino rats fed antibiotic-contaminated chicken meat,” the study stated.
The researchers explained that microbial isolation and antibiotic sensitivity testing were also carried out using standard culture and disk diffusion methods to further analyse the implications of the residues.
Their findings paint a troubling picture.
“Antibiotic-treated broiler chickens exhibited altered locomotor activity, heat stress, reduced feeding behaviour, and increased mortality, with some groups losing up to two birds.
“From week five to eight, all antibiotic-treated groups showed significantly higher body weight compared to controls. Analysis confirmed the presence of multiple antibiotic residues in both chicken breast and liver tissues, with liver samples consistently showing higher accumulation,” the study stated.
Even more concerning, the researchers found that residue concentrations exceeded international Maximum Residue Limits, reaching 4.88 mg/g in poultry breast and 11.42 mg/g in poultry liver for penicillin.
Microbial analysis further revealed the presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Citrobacter, and Lactobacilli, alongside retained antimicrobial activity of residues against selected bacteria.
For public health experts, the implications are profound, and continuous exposure to these residues through food may gradually reduce the body’s response to antibiotics, making future infections harder to treat.
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“These findings highlight significant risks to animal welfare, food safety, and public health and underscore the urgent need for strengthened regulatory control, routine residue monitoring, and responsible antibiotic stewardship in poultry production,” the study added.
‘Regular consumption of antibiotic residues drives antimicrobial resistance’
Infectious disease experts and epidemiologists, who spoke exclusively to Saturday PUNCH, warned that continuous consumption of antibiotic residues in chicken, eggs, milk, and other poultry products may lead to AMR, making standard drugs less effective in treating common infections.
They said this weakens the efficacy of medicines such as penicillin and tetracycline, which are relied upon to treat infections that were once easily curable, ultimately leading to treatment failure.
According to the World Health Organisation, AMR is already a major crisis in Nigeria, with an estimated 263,400 deaths linked to AMR in 2019, placing the country 20th globally for age-standardised mortality.
The global health body noted resistance rates of over 80 per cent for MRSA and between 60 and 80 per cent for ESBL-producing bacteria.
It warned that while the risk is often invisible to consumers, it is real, leaving millions exposed to a gradual but worsening public health threat with severe long-term consequences.
A Professor of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Control at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Lawrence Ogbonnaya, explained that antibiotics are designed to kill or inhibit bacteria, but resistance occurs when bacteria evolve survival mechanisms.
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“One of the most serious effects is treatment failure. Infections become harder to treat, requiring stronger, more expensive, or more toxic drugs. In some cases, no effective antibiotics remain, leading to prolonged illness or death,” he said.
He noted that surgeries, childbirth, cancer treatments, and organ transplants all depend on effective antibiotics to prevent and manage infections, saying that when resistance reduces antibiotic effectiveness, these procedures become riskier.
Another infectious disease specialist at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Joy Mbonu, said AMR increases healthcare costs and hospital stays.
She said patients with resistant infections often require prolonged hospitalisation, more intensive care, and multiple drug regimens, placing heavy burdens on both families and the healthcare system.
Mbonu said, “Resistance also leads to the spread of difficult-to-treat infections within communities and healthcare settings. This reduces the ability of healthcare professionals to control outbreaks and protect vulnerable populations, such as newborns, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients.
“In addition, AMR limits progress in modern medicine. Many medical advancements rely on effective infection control. Without reliable antibiotics, the safety and success of these advancements are threatened.”
The burden of AMR in Nigeria
The WHO’s 2025 report indicates that Nigeria ranks 20th globally for age-standardised mortality due to AMR.
It linked 263,400 deaths in 2019 to AMR in Nigeria, noting that this figure is higher than the combined deaths from enteric infections, tuberculosis, respiratory infections, maternal and neonatal disorders, neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and cardiovascular diseases.
“Globally, resistant infections in tertiary care settings cost between $2,371 and $29,289 per patient episode, extend hospital stays by an average of 7.4 days, and increase mortality risk by 84 per cent,” the WHO added.
According to the 2023 Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (University of Washington), AMR remains a major global health threat, with over 60,000 annual deaths in Nigeria attributed to drug-resistant infections since 1990.
Among the most lethal pathogen-drug combinations were Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin, Acinetobacter baumannii resistant to carbapenems, and Streptococcus pneumoniae resistant to third-generation cephalosporins.
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Globally, the report stated that AMR is responsible for over one million deaths annually, with 4.71 million deaths associated with bacterial drug-resistant infections in 2021.
It also projected that up to 39 million deaths could occur directly due to bacterial AMR between 2025 and 2050 if urgent action is not taken, equivalent to about three deaths per minute.
Farmers’ practices and regulatory concerns
Corroborating the findings, a small-scale poultry farmer, Finni Adekanbi, confirmed she uses tetracycline to treat and prevent illness in her birds.
“I use tetracycline when I notice that any of my birds is sick. Also, when there is sickness around, I put it in their water to prevent illness or mass death.
“I do not have any expert prescribing medications for me. Once I get to the market and explain what is happening, the sellers give me what they think will work,” she said.
Asked how often farmers visit his office to consult for their birds or animals, an Ojo, Lagos-based vet doctor, Francis Erukewe, said the small number of farmers hardly visit his office for consultation.
“They will tell you that they do not have money. It’s only the big farmers who will consult for their poultry medication. These ones wouldn’t want to risk anything, and so they know what it takes to have a good farm.
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“They know that any wrong prescription or wrong treatment prescription can wreak havoc on their farm. So they would rather part with any amount than to lose all their birds and animals,” he said.
He said they work with the quarantine agency to ensure the right prescription and quantity are given, especially towards their supply to market chains.
Antibiotic residues threaten public safety
A Consultant Gynaecologist and Surgeon at the Federal Medical Centre, Epe, Lagos, Dr Cynthia Okafor, affirmed that antibiotic residues in meals have significant health and public safety consequences.
She said one major concern is the development of antibiotic resistance, is making infections harder to cure and cause higher mortality rates.
Okafor emphasised that long-term exposure can also disrupt the natural balance of beneficial gut bacteria, affecting digestion and immunity.
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“There is also concern about potential toxicity and impacts on vital organs such as the liver and kidneys,” she added.
On antibiotics usage, a nutritionist and the Director of Nutrition Services and Health Education at the Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board, James Oloyede, said antibiotics used in poultry and other animal health could be either approved or unapproved.
According to him, if approved, there are maximum permissible limits of residues which, if exceeded, can pose a serious danger upon consumption by humans.
“For instance, studies have shown that certain hormone residues, when consumed even in low doses over a long period, can increase the risk of cancer and interfere with normal human hormone functions, affecting fertility and reproduction,” Oloyede said.
He said that while cooking can break down some of these residues, others can survive and pose health risks to humans.
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“Each of the antibiotics being used has its own maximum residue limits. What’s important from a public health perspective is for regulatory agencies to monitor usage, prevent unethical practices for economic gain, and enlighten the public to ensure adequate cooking of poultry meat. If these are done, the risk will be minimal,” Oloyede added.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, all meat, including pork, chicken, or turkey, must not contain antibiotic residues above the Maximum Residue Levels set by the agency.
This practice ensures antibiotics are cleared from an animal’s system before it enters the food supply chain.
Interventions to end AMR
To curb the burden of AMR in Nigeria, the Federal Government launched the first National Antimicrobial Resistance Survey on antimicrobial resistance, a milestone in the country’s public health response.
Supported by the WHO and partners, the initiative is meant to generate critical data to guide evidence-based policies, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen health system resilience.
Sequel to this, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, with technical support from WHO, recently concluded a five-day planning workshop to finalise the technical protocol and operational strategy.
Acting Head of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Dr Tochi Okwor, said, “The workshop marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s AMR response.”
The WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, reaffirmed WHO’s commitment.
“This survey will provide the clarity needed to drive smarter policies, stronger surveillance, and better patient outcomes,” he added.
On surveillance, the Technical Officer at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Laetitia Gahimbare, said, “Strengthening surveillance enhances Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond to AMR threats, supporting better patient outcomes, reinforcing health security, and building a resilient system.”
A Paediatric Infectious Diseases specialist at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Professor Babatunde Ogunbosi, said the survey is about more than data; it’s about building national capacity for research, diagnostics, and policy.
“AMR is among WHO’s top global health priorities. Nigeria’s efforts, supported by WHO, NCDC, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, and the Global Fund, demonstrate strong national ownership and multisectoral collaboration to end AMR in Nigeria,” Ogunbosi added.
‘Expert prescription necessary’
The President of the Nigeria Agri-business Group, Arc Kabir Fnia, said every treatment given to birds or animals should follow expert prescription to avoid harming both animals and humans.
Fnia, a former National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, said many farmers are ignorant and may not be able to administer the right medication in the correct quantity and quality that animals need.
“Once an expert is consulted and medication is prescribed and calibrated, there will not be any issue of antibiotic residues because the right quantity will be administered.
“Ideally, just as in humans, when an animal is sick, we need to conduct tests to know exactly what the problem is before giving medication, because self-medication on farms could amount to a waste of money and sometimes the death of the animal.
“This is also common with illiterate farmers who will say that tetracycline can cure all sickness including Newcastle disease in birds. Moreover, drugs used by humans are different from those used for animals. So farmers shouldn’t prescribe medications; they should seek professionals,” he said.
When an expert does this, he added, it will eliminate traces of antibiotic residues and will not cause problems for humans. “These residues are bad for the country because our products may be rejected at the point of export,” Fnia said.
Asked whether farmers are being monitored to ensure that they do not administer antibiotics beyond required limits, he said, “The quarantine agency works with other authorities to ensure that medications are calibrated by professionals to reduce the cases of residues.”
For Oloyede, reducing the consumption of antibiotic residues in chicken meat and eggs requires coordinated action from farmers, regulators, and consumers.
“Farmers should adopt responsible antibiotic use by following veterinary guidance and observing proper withdrawal periods before selling poultry products. Improved hygiene, vaccination, and biosecurity measures can reduce the need for antibiotics in the first place.
“Regulatory authorities must enforce strict monitoring systems, conduct routine testing, and penalise non-compliance to ensure food safety standards are met. Public awareness campaigns can educate consumers about the risks and encourage demand for residue-free products,” he added.
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