Interferences on microbial inhibitor tests related to ivermectin treatment in lactating dairy goats

[EN] This Research Communication reports interferences related to the administration of ivermectin in lactating dairy goats on the response of microbial tests for screening antibiotics in milk. Twenty-eight Murciano-Granadina goats, naturally infested with Sarcoptes scabiei var. caprae, were treated with a subcutaneous injection of ivermectin (200 mu g/kg b.w.). To prevent re-infestation, a second dose was applied 7 d later. Individual milk samples were collected, daily, up to 15 d post-treatment. Milk samples were analysed by microbial inhibitor tests (BRT MRL, Delvotest SP-NT MCS and Eclipse 100) and ivermectin residues were quantified by HPLC. A large number of positive results were obtained for all microbial tests, especially on the first day after treatment (BRT MRL = 464%; Delvotest SP-NT MCS = 143%; and Eclipse 100 = 178%). However, the highest concentration of drug residues in milk (243 ng/ml) was detected on the tenth day after treatment, when positive outcomes were relatively lower (BRT MRL = 178%; Delvotest SP-NT MCS = 107%; and Eclipse 100 = 74%). Results herein suggest that factors related to the ivermectin treatment other than drug residues in milk, or alterations produced by the parasitic disease itself affecting the immune response of animals, could be the cause of false-positive results in microbial tests. It can be concluded that the application of ivermectin in dairy goats infested with sarcoptes mange during lactation produces persistent drug residues in milk, and could also cause false-positive results in microbial inhibitor tests for screening antibiotics. This work is part of the AGL-2009-11524 funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Madrid, Spain) and the Generalitat Valenciana (ACOMOP/2012/164, Valencia, Spain). Romero Rueda, T.; Moya, V.; Fernández Martínez, N.; Althaus, RL.; Reybroeck, W.; Molina Pons, MP. (2016). Interferences on microbial inhibitor tests related to ivermectin treatment in lactating dairy goats. Journal of Dairy Research. 83(3):341-344. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022029916000443 ROMERO, T., BELTRÁN, M. C., REYBROECK, W., & MOLINA, M. P. (2015). Effect In Vitro of Antiparasitic Drugs on Microbial Inhibitor Test Responses for Screening Antibiotic Residues in Goat’s Milk. Journal of Food Protection, 78(9), 1756-1759. doi:10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-15-020 Mullins, J. S., Arlian, L. G., & Morgan, M. S. (2009). Extracts of Sarcoptes scabiei De Geer Downmodulate Secretion of IL-8 by Skin Keratinocytes and Fibroblas