Ground-breaking, evidence-based book asks how many lives were lost because of Chinas negligence about lab-leaked SARS-CoV-2. In a disturbing reconstruction of events by two of the most reputable scientists in the world, a new book reveals for the first time how Chinese authorities and elite Wuhan scientists knew about SARS-CoV-2s menacing biological features from the start but remain silent to this day. In The Origin of the Virus (Clinical Press) Dr Steven Quay and Prof Angus Dalgleish, working with Italian reporter Paolo Barnard, show how China engaged in lies, omissions and obfuscations to cover up the laboratory origin of the virus. Had they immediately alerted the international community and policymakers of the extremely pathogenic molecular machinery present in SARS-CoV-2's genome, very large numbers of lives may have been spared, argue Quay, Dalgleish and Barnard. The authors provide a shocking account of the extreme experiments that led to the outbreak of the worst pandemic since the 1918 Spanish influenza. They broaden the censure to explain why some American and British scientists thwarted a proper investigation of the origin of COVID-19. Despite its impeccable scientific grounding the book is both a readable and gripping account that, for the first time, allows the public to partake in what lies at the heart of the many scandals surrounding the birth of the most deadly virus in modern times.

This detailed new edition compiles fully updated practical methodologies and approaches for diagnosticians and researchers working toward a better understanding of animal coronaviruses. The book explores vital techniques in virus isolation, diagnostic approaches via the detection of viral nucleic acids or proteins, serology, disease-targeted animal species models, and next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics. Written for the invaluable Springer Protocols Handbooks series, chapters contain readily reproducible laboratory protocols as well as expert tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Thorough and hands-on, Animal Coronaviruses, Second Edition will help readers design and carry out their increasingly important projects in clinical research, diagnostics, disease surveillance, and epidemiological study involving this family of viruses.

In the summer of 1984, both of us were working with Professor Yechiel Becker in the Laboratory for Molecular Virology at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical center in Jerusalem. During a discussion about the increasing number of specialized journals and monographs, Dr. Becker pointed out that none covered both the clinical and molecular aspects of neurotropic virus infections, and he urged us to develop such a book with the help of colleagues who were conducting highly-regarded research in their individual areas related to neurotropic viruses. The responses to our request were gratifying, and each contribution provided both a comprehensive clinical description of the neurologic disease produced by a specific virus and an up-to-date review of the current research in the pathogenesis of the disease, with particular attention given to molecular mechanisms. Most, but not all chapters were written by clinical neurologists who applied basic science strategies and methodologies to the question of how neurotropic viruses produce disease. other chapters were written by virologists known for their longstanding commitment and expertise in the analysis of the pathogenesis of neurotropic virus infections. Thus, this unique monograph should be valuable to all clinicians caring for patients with CNS viral diseases and to "neurovirologists" needing an update of the clinical and molecular pathogenesis of neurotropic virus infections. While this monograph was being prepared, a rapidly expanding literature indicated that the human lenteviruses, human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) and HTLV-1 were highly neurotropic.

Public Health Microbiology: Methods and Protocols is focused on microorganisms that can present a hazard to human health in the course of everyday life. There are chapters dealing with organisms that are directly pathogenic to humans, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi; on organisms that produce toxins during growth in their natural habitats; on the use of bacteriocins produced by such organisms as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria; as well as several chapters on hazard analysis, the use of disinfectants, microbiological analysis of cosmetics, and microbiological tests for sanitation equipment in food factories. Additional chapters look at the use of animals (mice) in the study of the various characteristics of milk and their relationships with lactic acid bacteria in particular. Other chapters focus on special methods for determining particular components of milk. In particular, in Parts I and II, on bacterial and viral pathogens, special attention is given to methods for PCR detection of genes with resistance to tetracycline, as well as to Salmonella enterica; for identification and typing of Campylobacter coli; for detection of the abundance of enteric viruses, hepatitis A virus, and rotaviruses in sewage, and of bacteriophages infecting the O157: H7 strain of Escherichia coli. Part III offers methods for computerized analysis and typing of fungal isolates, for isolation and enumeration of fungi in foods, and for the determination of aflatoxin and zearalenone

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a serious global pandemic in just one year. Nearly every country and territory in the world has been affected by the virus. The virulence and infection rate of the virus are profound, and has required extreme social distancing measures across the globe in order to prevent overwhelming the healthcare services and hospitals. COVID-19 appears to have the greatest effects on elderly individuals and those who have co-morbid diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. As the cases and death rate remain high, there are justified fears of this virus remaining for several months or years to come. To address this, a rapid and unprecedented worldwide mobilization effort has begun to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines. As these begin to be deployed and administered across the globe, many now feel the virus will be brought under control and lives will eventually return to normal. This new volume will increase readers' understanding of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through a series of chapters that address these concerns. Leading experts will discuss new treatment approaches, vaccine development, mental health aspects of the pandemic, and convey the results of survey studies. The book will be an excellent resource for researchers studying virology, metabolic diseases, respiratory disorders, and clinical scientists, physicians, drug companies, and healthcare services and workers.

This volume covers the most important parasitic protists that are known to infect humans. The pathogens discussed cause diseases like toxoplasmosis, malaria, cryptosporidiosis, leishmaniasis, amoebiasis, trichomoniasis, and giardiasis. Readers from microbiology will appreciate the special focus on protist cell biology. As demonstrated in several of the chapters, these parasites are characterized by peculiar structures and organelles that cannot be found in mammalian cells - even though both are eukaryotic. The book employs light and electron microscopy to display the changing morphology in various stages of parasitic development. In turn, the results are supplemented by transcriptome and proteome profiles that help to describe how these changes take place on a molecular level. Both researchers and clinicians from tropical medicine will find essential and practically applicable background information on these increasingly important pathogens.

This Springer Protocols manual is a practical guide to the application of key molecular biology techniques in microbiological research. The focus is on experimental protocols, which are presented in an easy-to-follow way, as step-by-step procedures for direct use in the laboratory. Notes on how to successfully apply the procedures are included, as well as recommendations regarding materials and suppliers. In addition to the practical protocols, important background information and representative results of experiments using the described methods are presented. Researchers in all areas applying microbial systems, such as in molecular biology, genetics, pathology, and agricultural research will find this work of great value.

Rabies is one of the oldest known pathogens, is incurable, and has the highest fatality rate of all infectious diseases. The Americas is the only region with bat rabies virus, including vampire bat rabies. The region is rich in cultural references and notable for many discoveries in the field, including the current vaccine potency test, diagnostic assay, conception of oral vaccines for wildlife, the first human survivor and the first successful canine rabies program executed at a broad level. Rabies remains the most important viral zoonosis, with tens of thousands of human fatalities and tens of millions of exposures annually, which can be used to model for other pathogens, such as COVID-19. There is an international effort to eliminate human rabies caused by dogs over the next decade, and the Americas represent the primary region with the greatest proof-of-concept evidence to accomplish this goal.  This two-volume set addresses the medical history and modern results of rabies in countries throughout the Americas, including the implications of and on cultural, economic, sociological, and research developments in the region. Volume I presents an overview of concepts critical to the study of rabies in the region, including evolutionary aspects, reservoir ecology and control, elimination efforts, vaccine development, and disease hallmarks and progression. It also analyzes the long-term cultural, social, and economic impacts of the disease in the Americas. 

Ensuring Global Food Safety: Exploring Global Harmonization, Second Edition, examines the policies and practices of food law which remain top contributors to food waste. This fully revised and updated edition offers a rational and multifaceted approach to the science-based issue of "what is safe for consumption?" and how creating a globally acceptable framework of microbiological, toxicological and nutritional standards can contribute to the alleviation of hunger and food insecurity in the world. Currently, many laws and regulations are so stringent that healthy food is destroyed based on scientifically incorrect information upon which laws and regulations are based. This book illuminates these issues, offering guidelines for moving toward a scientifically sound approach to food safety regulation that can also improve food security without putting consumers at risk.

This volume focuses on the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in contexts ranging from human cancers to cardiovascular disease and ageing. The role of lncRNAs in X-inactivation and those lncRNAs derived from pseudogenes, past retroelements integrated within the human genome, as well as the role these pseudogene-derived lncRNAs play in cancer development are discussed in detail. Further, the book examines the function of lncRNAs in diseases such as diabetes, in smooth muscle formation, and in the modulation of nuclear receptors, as well as in connection with perspectives on the development of personalized therapeutics. It offers an appealing and insightful resource for scientists and clinicians alike.

This book introduces the translational informatics applied to most aspects of virus infection, including tracking of virus origin, detection and prevention of infection, drug discovery, and vaccine design as well as smart city-level monitoring and controlling of the virus epidemic by government. It covers the informatics for data mining and modelling at molecular, tissue/organ, individual, and population levels. The informatics for immunological mechanisms and the personalized prediction and treatment of infected patients are also summarized. The perspectives on the application of artificial intelligence to the prevention of virus outbreaks are also given. This book will be helpful to readers who are interested in prevention of virus infection, biomedical informatics, and artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcare.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), isolated in 1966, continues to draw worldwide attention as an important human pathogen. Its impor tance is largely related to the continuing accumulation of evidence that implicates EBV as an etiological factor for certain types of human cancer. More recent investigations on this virus have focused on the identity of the viral genes responsible for the different disease mani festations observed following viral infection. It is hoped that by thorough investigation of this virus, clues to how cancer develops from a normal cell will surface. In addition, many of the gene products are now being exploited for the development of new and more sensitive tests for the diagnosis and clinical management of individu als with EBV -associated diseases. Thus, studies on this virus continue to provide new information of importance to our understanding of the malignant process. In an effort to attract both basic and clinical scientists to the same meeting for purposes of scientific exchange and fostering a closer interaction between these individuals, a series of international symposia was initiated in 1984. The first meeting was held in Loutraki, Greece, and was attended by approximately 100 participants. The second international symposium was held in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1986, and was attended by approximately twice as many partici pants as attended the Loutraki meeting."

This book presents a comprehensive view on mycotoxins of agricultural as well as non-agricultural environments and their health effects in humans and animals. Mycotoxins have immunosuppressive effects; but some of them can cause cancers, mutagenicity, neurotoxicity, liver and kidney damage, birth defects, DNA damage and respiratory disorders. The problem of mycotoxins is long-lasting and their direct or indirect exposures to humans and animals must be further discussed. The first chapter will cover the historical perspective of mycotoxins along with timeline while the second one will provide overview including classification of mycotoxins and mycotoxicoses. The comprehensive information/ literature on traditional, emerging and mushroom mycotoxins will be given in chapters 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Chapter 6 will deal with mycotoxins co-occurrence poisoning whereas new and masked mycotoxins will be described in chapter 7. The important aspects of mycotoxin studies like extraction, characterization and analysis and management strategies will be summarized in 8 and 9 chapters. The last chapter of the book will cover the recent developments in toxicokinetic studies of mycotoxins. The book will have the most up-to-date information and recent discoveries to deliver accurate data and to illustrate essential points to a wide range of readers including mycologists, clinicians, agricultural scientists, chemists, veterinarians, environmentalists and food scientists.

This detailed volume explores various aspects of the dengue virus and its four serotypes (DENV1-4). Beginning with a section on protocols to produce DENV and its proteins that are fundamental for many biophysical, biochemical, immunological, and cellular studies, the book continues by covering protocols to study the interactions between DENV and cellular proteins, DENV immunopathogenesis and diagnosis, as well as recent advances in animal models that can be used in studies of DENV immunopathogenesis and vaccine development. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Dengue Virus: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide for researchers attempting to further understand this critical threat to worldwide public health.

In this issue, guest editors bring their considerable expertise to this important topic. Provides in-depth reviews on the latest updates in the field, providing actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize

This research volume examines the available alternative, complementary, pharmaceutical and vaccine methods for treating, mitigating, or preventing COVID-19. Coverage includes traditional Chinese medicine, herbal remedies, nutraceutical/dietary options, and drug/vaccine therapies. All the methods discussed will be critically examined to provide readers with a full, unbiased overview that includes pros/cons of each method. While the nature of COVID-19 is still being studied, and new research and theories are being published daily, this book endeavors to provide readers with a comprehensive summary of current research on alternative and mainstream treatment and prevention methods.

This second edition provides state-of-the-art and novel methods on antibiotic isolation and purification, identification of antimicrobial killing mechanisms, as well as methods for the analysis and detection of microbial responses and adaptation strategies. Antibiotics: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition, guides readers through updated and entirely new chapters on production and design, mode of action, and response and resistance. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Antibiotics: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition aims to inspire scientific work in the exciting field of antibiotic research.

This book compiles the latest research on the multifarious roles of microbial enzymes, and provides an overview of microbial enzymes and biotechnologies. It discusses the use of microbial enzymes in innovative areas like nanomedicine and synthetic biotechnology, as well as the use of starch digesting enzymes and bioactive proteins as biotherapeutics, all of which have applications in modern drug discovery processes. The book also examines the concept of microbial biotransformation and protein engineering, and covers topics such as the immobilization of therapeutic enzymes, bioengineering of enzymes for bioactive compounds, the production of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes from plant raw materials, and prebiotics and probiotics. Given its multidisciplinary scope, this book will appeal to researchers and industry experts in the fields of microbiology, biotechnology and molecular medicine.

This book discusses recent developments in several laboratories studying leishmaniasis. Sequencing of the human genome, as well as of the leishmania genome, has led to significant advances in our understanding of host-immune responses against leishmania, and mechanisms of infection-induced pathology, which is responsible for morbidity and mortality. Pathogenesis of Leishmaniasis focuses on the latest basic research into leishmaniasis, but also addresses how advances in understanding can be applied to prevention, control and treatment of what the WHO has classified a neglected tropical disease.

This book targets new advances in areas of treatment and drug delivery sciences for Malaria. This is the only published book which compiles the complete road map of malarial drug delivery systems along with an overview on the pathology, current state of malaria across the globe, new clinical trials, emerging drugs and evolving novel drug delivery platforms. A wide variety of novel micro-and nano-formulations using promising technologies are being explored to deliver the malarial drug via different administration routes. This book addresses the gap between new approaches and old treatment modalities and how the former is superior in pharmacological performance when tested in in-vitro and in-vivo. Audience from wide range group like from researchers to regulatory bodies can benefit from the compiled information to find out patient needs and addresses a much-needed update to the existing malaria drug delivery research.

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and infects approximately 75 million individuals worldwide. It is also one of the major causes of liver cancer and liver transplants. The elucidation of the HCV genome, and the development of a whole cell system to study the virus spurred the search for novel direct acting antiviral drugs to cure this disease. This global effort culminated in the development of direct acting antiviral drugs that led to cure rates approaching 100% in all patient populations after only 8-12 weeks of therapy. These efforts resulted in one of the greatest achievements in public health and provides the potential for eliminating HCV as a major disease worldwide. This volume is aimed at a broad audience of academic and industrial scientists interested in the discovery and development of drugs to treat viral diseases and those interested in reading about one of the most unique accomplishments in biomedical research. The volume will provide a one of a kind reference work that highlights the many efforts, from the discovery of the HCV virus, to the invention of breakthrough medicines and their use in the real world to cure patients. It is the companion book to the volume "HCV: The Journey from Discovery to a Cure - Volume I".

This edited volume explores Campylobacter species, which are some of the most important foodborne pathogens. Above all, contaminated poultry meat can cause human gastroenteritis in both developed and developing countries. The respective contributions reveal how these infections can also increase the risk of generalized paralytic diseases such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, Miller-Fisher syndrome, and Chinese paralytic syndrome. Due to their influence on the nervous system, circulatory system, and various organs, Campylobacter infections represent a serious public health concern. Campylobacter can be effectively combated by addressing the hygienic conditions in both food production and human lifestyles. Accordingly, the authors put forward a One Health perspective, which provides readers with essential insights into the basic biology of Campylobacter, as well as practical guidance on aspects ranging from food production to the clinical treatment of infections. Chapters 'Population Biology and Comparative Genomics of Campylobacter Species' and 'Natural Competence and Horizontal Gene Transfer in Campylobacter' are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book highlights different natural products that are derived from the plants and microbes that have shown potential as the lead compounds against infectious diseases and cancer. Natural products represent an untapped source of strikingly diverse chemotypes with novel mechanisms of action and the potential to serve as anticancer and anti-infective agents. The book discusses a range of biotechnologically valuable bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites that have been derived from plant and microorganisms from various ecological niches. It also reviews the latest developments in the field of genomics, bioinformatics and industrial fermentation for harnessing the microbial products for commercial applications. In turn, the book's closing section reviews important biotechnological applications of various natural products. Combining the expertise of specialists in this field, the book's goal is to promote the further investigation of natural sources for the development of standardized, safe and effective therapies.

It goes almost without saying that there has been a marked increase in the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases throughout the world in the past two to three decades. Indeed, despite the progress that has been made in methods of diagnosis and treatment, the sexually transmitted diseases as a whole are the most common communicable diseases and as such constitute an important health problem. The increase in incidence may be accounted for by changes in sexual behaviour, the introduction of contraceptives and the increasing mobility of the population. In addition, during the same time period, the number of infectious agents recognized as being sexually transmitted has increased considerably. These include Chlamydia trachomatis, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus and hepatitis B virus. Indeed, some are as dependent on sexual transmission as the agents which cause the traditional venereal diseases and collectively they cause morbidity which has out-stripped that caused by gonorrhoea and syphilis. It could almost be said that to know the sexually transmitted diseases is to know micro biology. However, the approach taken in this book has not been to consider individual infectious agents and evaluate what they do and do not cause but to consider clinical conditions and what might be responsible for them. To cover the complete spectrum of the sexually transmitted diseases in a comprehensive way now takes a text book of massive proportion."

In an age of antibiotic resistant infections, the study of biofilms is increasingly important. Microbes more than often exist in complex multi-species or polymicrobial communities, making infections difficult to detect, diagnose and treat. Given the increased focus on studying biofilms in research and laboratory settings, particularly under conditions that closely mimic the clinical state, it is important to get an overview of the recent methods, model systems and tools being developed and employed in this context. This book offers readers the opportunity to learn more about current methods being used in the investigation of multi-species biofilms, both in vivo and in vitro. For this, the book highlights new technologies built and designed for the study of multiple species within biofilm communities, including those that can be leveraged for the evaluation of antimicrobial treatment approaches. The application of these state-of-the-art techniques to further our understanding of multi-species biofilms will be discussed and the reader will learn how the clinical microenvironment and the development of biofilm communities are considered when developing such tools. With cutting-edge contributions from experts in the respective domains, this book will benefit translational and basic research scientists, as well as clinicians, and is an informative resource for educators and their students.