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Resistance Types of Insects

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Encyclopedia of Parasitology

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The WHO defined several types of resistances, which are commonly developed, when insects come in contact with major insecticides. In general insecticide resistance is described as the ability of single insect individuals to withstand the effects of an insecticidal compound by avoiding toxic effects by means of development of certain mutations and/or by effects of natural selection (i.e., only those individuals persist, which survive a certain dosage of an insecticide). The following types of insecticide resistance are rather common:

  1. 1.

    Behavioral resistance

    This type is based on any modification in the behavior of a given (individual) insect that helps to avoid the contact to an insecticide.

  2. 2.

    Cross resistance

    This type occurs when an insect is able to avoid the activity of at least two insecticides, which may even belong to different classes of insecticides.

  3. 3.

    Cuticular resistance

    This type is based on special features of the cuticle and/or intestinal lining systems that prevent or...

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Further Reading

  • Awolola TS et al (2009) Evidence of multiple pyrethroid resistance mechanisms in malaria vector Anopheles gambiae from Nigeria. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 103:1139–1145

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  • Davies TG et al (2007) DDT, pyrethrins, pyrethroids and insect sodium channels. IUB MB life 59:151–162

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  • Munhenga G et al (2008) Payrethroid resistance in the major malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis. Malar J 7:247–250

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  • Okoye PN et al (2008) Characterization of DDT, pyrethroid and carbamate resistance in Anopheles funestus. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 102:591–598

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  • Ranson H et al (2011) Pyrethroid resistance in African anopheline mosquitoes: what are the implications for malaria control. Trends Parasitol 27:91–98

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  • Reimer L et al (2008) Relationship between Kdr mutation and resistance to pyrethroid and DDT insecticides in natural populations of Anopheles gambiae. Med Entomol 45:260–266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1998) Report of the WHO informal consultation on test procedures for insecticides on treated surfaces. WHO/CDS/CPC/MAL 98:12

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Zoomorphologie, Zellbiologie und Parasitologie Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Heinz Mehlhorn

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  1. Heinz Mehlhorn
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Correspondence to Heinz Mehlhorn .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Zoomorphology and Parasitology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Heinz Mehlhorn

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Mehlhorn, H. (2015). Resistance Types of Insects. In: Mehlhorn, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Parasitology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27769-6_4871-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27769-6_4871-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27769-6

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