This is not a problem, unless this number grows with each gethostbyname invocation. The underlying programming pattern which causes this is quite common and perfectly harmless (if you get the threading issues right, of coruse).
Just tested it in a loop, the leaks stay constant. If you are saying the underlying programming pattern is quite common and harmless, that does not also mean that the leaks are non-existent and mudflap is confused, right? If the leaks do not exist, I'd file a report for mudflap, but I get they do exist, and despite harmless, then this is still a problem with something and not a serious one -- that is why I have filed it as normal, and not serious. I have also filed an identical bug report for Fedora Core 4, where the leaks reported are 57. Could you please elucidate what is this programming pattern that causes the leaks, if it is possible to do with a programming snippet? I find it very strange that a well-working program will have leaks that are considered necessary because of a quite common usage pattern. Isn't there a better, more perfect way?