Investigation of Pirimiphos-methyl Resistance Status of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) Populations in Northern Tunisia

This article reports Pirimiphos-methyl resistance status of Culex pipiens populations harvested in four breeding sites in Northern Tunisia. Our results showed the resistance of all samples to Pirimiphos-methyl. The RR50 ranged from 3.31 to 62.1. The sample collected from Tazarka had the highest resistance among all studied populations. This status could be explained by its frequency of mortality caused by propoxur (0%) and also by its frequency of detected esterases (85%). Authors confirmed the implications of insensitive acetylcholinesterase and esterases enzymes in the resistance of Culex pipiens populations to Pirimiphos-methyl. It is the first investigation of Pirimiphos-methyl resistance status of Culex pipiens populations from Tunisia and it is very important for the implementation and development of vector control strategies.