Background: Unrestricted use of pesticides in agriculture is likely to increase insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors. Unfortunately, strategies for managing insecticide resistance in agriculture and public health sectors lack integration. This study explored the types and usage of agricultural pesticides, and awareness and management practices among retailers and farmers in Ulanga and Kilombero districts in southeastern Tanzania, where Anopheles mosquitoes are resistant to pyrethroids. Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach was employed. First, a survey to characterize pesticide stocks was conducted in agricultural and veterinary (agrovet) retail stores. Interviews to assess general knowledge and practices regarding agricultural pesticides were performed with 17 retailers and 30 farmers, followed by a survey involving 427 farmers. Concurrently, field observations were done to validate the results. Results: Lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin (both pyrethroids) and imidacloprids (neonicotinoids) were the most common agricultural insecticides sold to farmers. The herbicide glyphosate (amino-phosphonates) (59.0%), and the fungicides dithiocarbamate and acylalanine (54.5%), and organochlorine (27.3%) were also readily available in the agrovet shops and widely used by farmers. Although both retailers and farmers had at least primary-level education and recognized pesticides by their trade names, they lacked knowledge on pest control or proper usage of these pesticides. Most of the farmers (54.4%, n = 316) relied on instructions from pesticides dealers. Overall, 93.7% (400) farmers practised pesticides mixing in their farms, often in close proximity to water sources. One-third of the farmers disposed of their pesticide leftovers (30.0%, n = 128) and most farmers discarded empty pesticide containers into rivers or nearby bushes (55.7%, n = 238). Conclusion: Similarities of active ingredients used in agriculture and malaria vector control, poor pesticide management practices and low-levels of awareness among farmers and pesticides retailers might enhance the selection of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. This study emphasizes the need for improving awareness among retailers and farmers on proper usage and management of pesticides. The study also highlights the need for an integrated

Background: Unrestricted use of pesticides inagricultureis likely toincreaseinsecticide resistance in malaria mosquitoes. Unfortunately, strategies for managing insecticide resistance in agriculture and public health sectors lack integration. This study explored types of agricultural pesticides, the usage, awareness and management practicesamong retailers and farmers in Ulanga and Kilombero districts in south-eastern Tanzania, where malaria mosquitoes are resistant to pyrethroids.Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach was used. First, a survey to characterise pesticide stockswas conducted in agricultural and veterinary (agrovet) retail stores. Interviews to assess general knowledge and practices regarding agricultural pesticideswere done with 17 retailers and 30 farmers followed by an in-depth survey involving 427 farmers.Concurrently, field observations were done to validate the results.Results: Lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin and neonicotinoid imidacloprids were the most common agricultural insecticides sold to farmers. The herbicide glyphosate (amino-phosphonates)(59%) and the fungicides dithiocarbamate and acylalanine (54.5%) and organochlorine (27.3%) were also readily available in the agrovet shops and widely used by farmers. Although both retailers and farmers had at least primary-level education and recognized pesticides by their trade names,they lacked knowledge on pest control orproper usage of these pesticides. Mostof the farmers (n=316, 54.4%) relied on instructions from pesticides dealers. Overall, 93.7% (n = 400)farmers practiced pesticides mixing in their farms, often nearby water sources. One-third of the farmers disposedof their pesticide leftovers (n=128, 30.0%), and most of them discarded empty pesticide containers into rivers or nearby bushes (n = 238, 55.7%).Conclusion: Similarities of active ingredients used in agriculture and malaria vector control, poor pesticides management practices and low-levels of awareness among farmers and pesticides retailers might enhance the selection of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. This study emphasises the need forimproving awareness among retailers and farmers on usage and management of pesticides, and highlights the needfor an integrated approach in the management of insecticide resistance inagricultural and public health sectors.

Abstract Background Unrestricted use of pesticides in agriculture is likely to increase insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors. Unfortunately, strategies for managing insecticide resistance in agriculture and public health sectors lack integration. This study explored the types and usage of agricultural pesticides, and awareness and management practices among retailers and farmers in Ulanga and Kilombero districts in south-eastern Tanzania, where Anopheles mosquitoes are resistant to pyrethroids. Methods An exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach was employed. First, a survey to characterise pesticide stocks was conducted in agricultural and veterinary (agrovet) retail stores. Interviews to assess general knowledge and practices regarding agricultural pesticides were performed with 17 retailers and 30 farmers, followed by a survey involving 427 farmers. Concurrently, field observations were done to validate the results. Results Lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin (both pyrethroids) and imidacloprids (neonicotinoids) were the most common agricultural insecticides sold to farmers. The herbicide glyphosate (amino-phosphonates) (59.0%), and the fungicides dithiocarbamate and acylalanine (54.5%), and organochlorine (27.3%) were also readily available in the agrovet shops and widely used by farmers. Although both retailers and farmers had at least primary-level education and recognised pesticides by their trade names, they lacked knowledge on pest control or proper usage of these pesticides. Most of the farmers (54.4%, n=316) relied on instructions from pesticides dealers. Overall, 93.7% (400) farmers practised pesticides mixing in their farms, often in close proximity to water sources. One-third of the farmers disposed of their pesticide leftovers (30.0%, n=128) and most farmers discarded empty pesticide containers into rivers or nearby bushes (55.7%, n = 238). Conclusion Similarities of active ingredients used in agriculture and malaria vector control, poor pesticide management practices and low-levels of awareness among farmers and pesticides retailers might enhance the selection of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. This study emphasises the need for improving awareness among retailers and farmers on proper usage and management of pesticides. The study also highlights the need for an integrated approach, including coordinated education on pesticide use, to improve the overall management of insecticide resistance in both agricultural and public health sectors.

Volcanic rock for use as building material is mined extensively in the North Eastern Region of Tanzania. Dust emitted from the rock may contain harmful elements such as crystalline silica, arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), boron (B) and mercury (Hg) which might contribute to severity and onset of health symptoms.Objective:This study assessed respiratory symptoms and fractional exhaled nitric oxide as a marker for respiratory inflammation in relation to dust exposure among workers in different job sections in volcanic block mining.Materials and Methods:A cross- sectional study assessed a total of 135 workers in which 70 were exposed and 65 none exposed. The mining activities are mainly manual, and include cutting of blocks underground, transporting blocks to the shaping area, shaping blocks, loading blocks and aggregates (Murom) to vehicles and clearing or expanding the site. Respiratory health questionnaires were administered through face–to-face interviews. A total of 28 samples of “total” dust were collected around the breathing zone of the workers using SKC Sidekick pump (model 224–50) with a flow rate of 2.0 l/min. FENO assessed respiratory system inflammation using a portable electrochemistry-based sensor (NIOX MINO).Findings:The overall arithmetic mean concentration of personal total dust exposure among the workers was 4.37 mg/m3 (range 0.15-20.84). The prevalence of acute cough and red eyes were significantly higher among exposed than among non exposed (35% vs 10% and 45% vs 14%, respectively). The ANOVA Boniferroni test showed a significant difference in mean FENO between stone cutters and none exposed (P = 0.005).Conclusions:This study suggests the strong association between working as a stone cutting and shaping with respiratory inflammation. There is a need for respiratory mask type P2 use to protect workers from the exposure. There is also need for the follow up study involving cohorts of all workers happened to be in the mine.

Introduction Exposure to organic dust may lead to decrease in lung function among healthy subjects or development of respiratory symptoms. Studies done among coffee workers reported significant exposure to endotoxins with no evidence of decrease in lung function. The current study aimed at determining seasonal variation of lung function among coffee workers due to endotoxin exposure. Methods The study was done in coffee factory where 30 workers were monitored for one season of coffee processing that is from June 2016 to February 2017. Lung function tests were performed once in the morning on any day before the season, then on Monday morning and Friday evening at midseason and end of the season. A portable spirometer Wins-piroLIGHT was used. ATS/ERS guidelines were followed. All measurements were taken in standing position. Data was analysed by paired-sample T-test. Smoking and age used to adjust lung function change in linear regression. Results The mean age of participants was 38 (8.4) and mean time of working in coffee factories was 10 (6.8) years. There was a significant decrease of 24 and 20 mls for FEV 1 and FVC, the change being high in the mid-season compared to end season. Improved in FEV 1 (3.29 l/s -3.65 l/s) at the beginning of season to mid-season was observed. Discussion Lung function decrease is observed along the season with higher decrease at the end of season. The slight increase in FEV 1 between beginning of season and mid-season could be due to cessation of exposure.