Submission Date	: Jan 15.2015
Acceptance Date	: Feb 6,2015
Publishing Date	: June 29,2015
Type of Paper	: Research Article
Mode of Access	: Open Access
Author	:¹Badaki, J.A. 2Afolabi, O. and ¹Bello, R.S.
Affiliation	1.Infectious Diseases Research Group Federal University Lokoja Kogi State.Department of Environmental 2.Biology Adekunle Ajasin University AkungbaAkok Ondo-Nigeria.
Country	:Nigeria
Contact	:  jackie.badaki@googlemail.com

Abstract

The study was aimed at documenting practices used in the presumptive diagnosis of malaria and control of mosquitoes vectors by the Ikales of southwestern Nigeria. Semi structured questionnaires were used to collect information from 90 households, ten in-depth interviews and three focused group discussions were held with traditional healers and with mothers of children less than 5 years old respectively. The respondents had good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of malaria and distinguished it from other febrile illnesses.  They also had a well-developed process of presumptive diagnosis and treatment. Of all the fevers only Ako-Iba whose symptoms are synonymous to biomedical description of malaria was alluded to mosquitoes and perceived as serious. The fever is associated with high body temperature, chills, headache, dehydration, vomiting, weakness and tongue coating. “Hot body” depicting high body temperature was frequently (46.6%) mentioned as the commonest symptom of Ako-Iba (Malaria fever) though traditional healers seemed more knowledgeable in recognizing the signs and symptoms of malaria. Interactions with traditional healers and mothers of U5 children also revealed that convulsion described as “stretching of the body “is only observed in children. The high level of local knowledge on Malaria could be utilized to develop more effective Malaria control interventions in the study area.