Abstract

This is a study on malaria prevalence and use of Long Life Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (LLINs) by mothers/caregivers in Anambra State, Nigeria. Stratified random sampling was used. All clinically good children 0 – 14.9 years and those with acute febrile illness were randomly sampled two times in a month from April 2012 to March 2013. Fifty homes were randomly sampled by balloting in each of the 13 communities for 12 months. Giemsa stained thick blood samples of 82 children were examined microscopically for malaria parasites. Structured questionnaires to ascertain ownership and use of LLINs were administered to mothers/caregivers of sampled children for malaria parasites. Overall prevalence of malaria in the communities in Anambra State was 46.3%. Majority of mothers/caregivers (56.1%) make use of LLINs in the communities. The prevalence of malaria infection among those who sleeps under LLINs that have positive blood smear and those that have negative blood smear is (28.0%). There is no significant difference (p>0.05) in the prevalence of infection between those who sleeps under LLINs that were positive and those that were negative. However, there were significant (p>0.05) differences in the prevalence of infection between those who sleep under LLINs and those who do not. The none significant difference in prevalence of malaria infection between positive and negative blood smear children who sleep under LLINs can be attribute to improper usage of the nets or that the children were already infected by outdoor biting mosquitoes before they go into their nets in the night.

Key words: Malaria, Prevalence, Long Life Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (LLINs), Ownership, Usage