[Resistance of insects to insecticides. Molecular mechanisms and epidemiology]

The aim of this paper is to indicate the main strengths which are involved in the spread of insecticide resistance genes. These forces are more or less well known in population genetics, there are: mutations which are involved in the creation of new alleles well adapted to insecticides; migration which is responsible for the geographical extension of resistance and selection which screened among the various alleles those which are best adapted in the geographical and ecological context. The biological model described in this paper is the mosquito Culex pipiens which is the best known model at that time. Many works have been done on the resistance to insecticides in this species. On the other hand, the molecular mechanisms involved in insecticide resistance have been described from various invertebrates.