Objective: In view of the increased prevalence of chloroquine resistance and the recent WHO malaria drug policy recommendation to use a combination of therapies especially artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in Africa, we tried to assess the prescription pattern and level of knowledge in the use of antimalarial drugs including ACTs among medical practitioners in Osogbo metropolis, southwest Nigeria, an endemic area of Plasmodium falciparum infection. Method: Questionnaires were sent to every medical practitioner working in all the health facilities in the metropolis, namely, a teaching hospital, general hospital, mission hospital, comprehensive health centre and 20 privately owned health facilities. Of the total of 100 questionnaires sent out, 96 were completed and returned while the remaining 4 were not returned. The questionnaires were self-administered. Result: Sixty-seven percent of the respondents work in the teaching hospital, while the remaining 33% either work in the general hospital or in private medical practice. 82.4% prescribed chloroquine despite the widespread resistance, indicating that this remains the most prescribed antimalarial drug. 45.7% apply the dosage regimen correctly (Χ2 P<0.005); 66.7% prefer the use of chloroquine injection; 85.6% give chlorpheniramine with chloroquine because of pruritus; 14.4% give it because of its synergistic and reversal mechanism. Other commonly prescribed drugs include sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (71.1%), halofantrine (53.6%), amodiaquine and quinine (51.1%), mefloquine (20.6%), artemisinin or ACTs (18.6%) and co-trimoxazole (17.5%). Of these, the dosage regimen was applied correctly for: sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (30.9%), halofantrine (12.8%), amodiaquine (3.2%), co-trimoxazole (2.1%), ACTs, quinine and artemisinin monotherapy (1.1%). About 40% of practitioners prefer the use of combination therapy in the future. Conclusion: There is an obvious paucity of knowledge on the prescription of antimalarial drugs. The proportion of practitioners anticipating the use of combination therapy in the future indicates that with continued medical education the use of combination therapies especially ACTs will be accepted easily.

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Two more new black-fly species of the rare subgenus Simulium (Montisimulium) were discovered in Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand, where S. (M.) merga Takaoka and Choochote was known as the only named species. These two new species, S. (M.) angkaense sp. nov. and S. (M.) laoleense sp. nov., are described on the basis of the pupal and⁄or mature larvae. Both new species are easily distinguished from S. (M.) merga by the pupal gill with 12 slender filaments, and from all the 16 known species with 12 pupal gill filaments in other countries by the long and very long common basal stalk of the gill, respectively.

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We now live in a world where the threat of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases crosses continental and national borders. In recognition of this trend the world realizes the importance of nurturing expertise in the control of infectious diseases based on sound knowledge, experience, and evidence. The introduction of a Master of Tropical Medicine course at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Nagasaki University, Japan is expected to provide a whole new opportunity for eager doctors to acquire necessary knowledge and skills to combat the world-wide burden of infectious diseases.

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