02332nas a2200193   4500008004100000245009600041210006900137260000900206300001400215490000700229520171600236100001801952700002501970700002601995700002202021700002202043700001702065856005602082       2007                        eng d00aDetection of pyrethroid resistance gene in head lice in schoolchildren from Bobigny, France0 aDetection of pyrethroid resistance gene in head lice in schoolch  c2007  a796 - 7980 v443 aThe head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis(DeGeer), is an hematophagous ectoparasite that affects mainly children. Resistance to insecticides belonging to pyrethroids and other pediculicides, such as malathion, is responsible for frequently reported treatment failures. Recent studies showed that a M815I-T929I-L932F kdr-like mutation in the voltage-gated sodium channel  -subunit gene was associated with permethrin resistance in head lice from several countries worldwide. We searched for the presence of pyrethroid resistancegeneinheadlice populations obtained in schoolchildren in an urban area of France. All the 15 primary schools of Bobigny, a city located 3 kmnorth of Paris, were selected to participate. Of 3,493 children enrolled, 3,345 (95.8%) children were screened for head lice by using Þne-toothed antilouse combs. Live head lice were detected in 112 (3.3%) of children screened. A subsample of 90 lice was processed for DNA study. The ampliÞcation of a 332-bp portion of the kdr-like gene spanning the codon 929 was performed, and polymerase chain reaction products were submitted to the restriction enzyme SspI. Twenty of these lice (22.2%) were homozygous susceptible, 33 (36.7%) were homozygous resistant, and 37 (41.1%) were heterozygotes. Globally, the frequency of the T929I mutation was 0.57. The prevalence of pediculosis in schoolchildren of Bobigny seemed relatively low in comparison with Þndings of other European studies. The presence of the T929I mutation associated with permethrin resistance probably reßected the frequent local use of this insecticide. Further studies are now required to evaluate the prevalence of the kdr-like mutant allele in head lice in French schools.1 aDurand, Rémy1 aMillard, Bénédicte1 aBouges-Michel, Claire1 aBruel, Christiane1 aBouvresse, Sophie1 aIzri, Arezki  uhttp://www.phthiraptera.info/Publications/46901.pdf