Background & objectives: Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is part of a key strategy for elimination of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar). IRS for kala-azar elimination in India uses 125 g 5% alpha-Cypermethrin wettable powder which is mixed with 7.5 litres of water and sprayed on walls using hand compression sprayers. Insecticide quantity is measured volumetrically through a container.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design with cluster random sampling was adopted to select 272 IRS squads of 46 blocks across 12 districts in Bihar, India. The quantity of insecticide measured by the container used by each IRS squad was recorded.
Results: Mean weight of insecticide measured was found to be 147 g (SD 33.9). One-thirds of squads were measuring less than the nationally recommended quantity of 125 g. Two-fifths of squads were overdosing with use of more than 150 g insecticide powder. Shoving the containers into a heap of insecticide powder resulted in heavier and less consistent measurements as compared to filling the containers from the top. Different types of measuring containers and different manufacturers of insecticide were shown to significantly account for the variation in the quantity of insecticide being measured.
Interpretation and conclusion: Standardization of insecticide measurement by IRS squads is needed, both to prevent under-dosing and overdosing of insecticide residue on walls. Standard operating procedures for calibrating and using uniform measuring containers should be implemented. Further, use of measuring containers may be replaced altogether with manufacturer-packaged amounts of insecticide formulation which could be directly used to prepare one-tank load of insecticide suspension.

中文翻译：

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印度比哈尔邦用于消除内脏利什曼病（黑热病）的室内滞留喷洒 (IRS) 杀虫剂数量变化的相关因素

背景和目标：室内滞留喷洒 (IRS) 是消除内脏利什曼病 (黑热病) 的关键策略的一部分。印度用于消除黑热病的 IRS 使用 125 克 5% α-氯氰菊酯可湿性粉剂，将其与 7.5 升水混合，并使用手动压缩喷雾器喷洒在墙壁上。杀虫剂的量是通过容器按体积测量的。
方法：采用整群随机抽样的横断面研究设计，在印度比哈尔邦的 12 个地区选择 46 个街区的 272 个 IRS 小队。记录了每个国税局小队使用的容器测量的杀虫剂数量。
结果：测得的杀虫剂平均重量为 147 克（标准差 33.9）。三分之一的小队体重低于国家推荐的 125 克。五分之二的小队过量使用超过 150 克杀虫剂粉末。与从顶部填充容器相比，将容器推入一堆杀虫剂粉末会导致测量结果更重且不一致。不同类型的测量容器和不同的杀虫剂制造商显着解释了被测杀虫剂数量的变化。
解释和结论：需要 IRS 小组对杀虫剂测量进行标准化，以防止墙壁上的杀虫剂残留剂量不足和过量。应执行校准和使用统一测量容器的标准操作程序。此外，可以完全用制造商包装的杀虫剂制剂代替测量容器的使用，这些杀虫剂制剂可以直接用于制备一罐杀虫剂悬浮液。