Antimicrobials: Synthetic and Natural Compounds summarizes the latest research regarding the possibilities of the most important natural antimicrobial compounds derived from various plant sources containing a wide variety of secondary metabolites. With collected contributions from international subject experts, it focuses primarily on natural products as a source of bioactive compounds that may be active against multidrug-resistant pathogens, providing an alternative to established antibiotics in controlling infectious diseases. Covering a wide range of marine, microbial, and plant-origin antimicrobials, the book examines the usefulness of plant products containing antimicrobial molecules against bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. It also reports on unusual sources of antimicrobials such as animal fecal actinomycetes, actinobacteria, and cyanobacteria and discusses synthetic chemical compounds and biogenic nanoparticles. The number of drug-resistant bacteria is increasing, posing a major problem to modern medicine. This book explores an important topic: finding and applying alternative means of pathogenic control and treatment via natural sources. It is an important source of information for microbiologists, biotechnologists, biochemists, pharmacologists, botanists, marine biologists, and others involved in research on natural and synthetic antimicrobial compounds. It is also a useful resource for scholars, scientists, academics, and students in various science disciplines.

The detection and/or isolation and identification of pathogenic microorganisms is critical for the laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases. With growth-dependant methods providing reliable means for identifying pathogens, traditional culturing continues to play an integral role in the detection and characterization of known and "new" microbial pathogens. Microbiologists, therefore, rely on a variety of media for the detection, isolation, characterization, and identification of primary and opportunistic microbial pathogens. The Handbook of Media for Clinical and Public Health Microbiology provides a compilation of the formulations, methods of preparation, and applications for media used in clinical and public health microbiology laboratories. It is a significant update to the Handbook of Media for Clinical Microbiology, expanding the coverage to media used for public health epidemiological investigations of disease outbreaks and including media used for the detection of pathogens in foods and environmental samples. Comprising both classic and modern media, the handbook describes almost 1,800 types of media, listed alphabetically, including new media for the cultivation of emerging bacteria, fungi, and viruses that are causing major medical problems around the world. Examples of emerging pathogens are extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria, Escherichia coli O157:H7, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Many of the new media contain chromogenic or fluorogenic substrates that permit rapid detection of specific pathogens. The handbook's format allows easy reference to information needed to prepare media for cultivating clinically relevant microorganisms. It also contains descriptions of expected results for organisms that are important for the examination of foods, water, and other

Filling a gap in the literature, this reference provides concise and practical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of sinusitis and furnishes an authoritative outline of our current understanding of the pathophysiology of this condition. Addressing a wide spectrum of issues related to the identification, epidemiology, and etiology of sinusitis, this guide presents detailed illustrations and flowcharts to clarify the interactions between the pathological and physiological processes of sinusitis and illustrate current treatment practices.

The genus Chlamydia encompasses a number of species of obligate intracellular bacteria, including important human pathogens like the most common bacterial agent of sexually transmitted disease. This volume reviews current knowledge of chlamydial biology, covering the unusual structure of the bacteria - which alternate between metabolically almost inactive and fast-dividing forms. It also discusses the ways in which Chlamydia manipulates the host cytoskeleton and subverts the host cell's defence, and illustrates how genomics have begun to uncover the diversity and complexity of chlamydial strains that look very similar but may cause distinct forms of disease. Further, it describes how techniques are now finally being established that can genetically modify Chlamydia, and discusses why such modification is still very difficult and what progress we can expect. Lastly, it presents our current understanding of chlamydial disease: what do we know about chronic infections, what are the mechanisms of inflammatory damage, and what are the prospects of a vaccine? Written be specialists in these various areas, the book is a valuable work of reference for students and scientists with an interest in the molecular, cellular and immunobiology of these fascinating bacteria.

Hepatitis delta virus which causes severe acute and chronic liver disease was discovered following the detection of a novel antigen-antibody system in hepatitis B virus carriers. Currently, HDV is classified as a subviral satellite of hepatitis B virus. However, unlike other satellite viruses, the dependence of HDV on HBV is limited solely to the provision of an envelope of hepatitis B surface antigen for virus assembly. Research into the molecular virology of the HDV life cycle has revealed a fascinating collection of biology. These insights are now beginning to be translated into new potential treatment strategies. There are currently still an estimated 15 million HDV carriers worldwide.

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Shortly after the reeognition of the aequired immunodefieieney syndrome (AIDS) in 1981 (1-3), it was hypothesized that herpesviruses may play an important role in the etiology or pathogenesis of this newly identified syndrome (4,5). This theory was based on the faet that infeetion with herpesviruses was a prominent elinieal feature in nearly all patients with AIDS (3-5). Chronie mueocutaneous herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections were one of the first opportunistie infeetions deseribed in patients with AIDS (3), and both cytomegalovirus (CMV) and HSV infections were extremely common in individuals identified to be at highest risk for aequiring AIDS, such as homosexual men, intravenous drug users and hemophiliaes (4-8). CMVand Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were also prominent infeetions whieh were suspected as possible etiologic agents of the prolonged fever, wasting, and Iymphadenopathy that often precedes AIDS, frequently referred to as the chronie Iymphadenopathy syndrome (9,10). Subsequent elinieal studies have indeed demonstrated that infeetions with HSV, CMV, EBV, and even varieella zoster virus (VZV) are frequent opportunistic infeetions wh ich oeeur among AIDS patients (11-14). Several of the opportunistie infeetions caused by herpesviruses include encephalitis, chorioretinitis, hairy leukoplakia, esophagitis, enteritis, colitis, Burkitt's lymphoma, primary CNS lymphoma, zoster, and there has even been speculation about the role of CMV in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sareoma (15,16). Furthermore, the herpesviruses, partieularly CMV and EBV have been known to be strongly associated with immunosuppression, partieularly of cell-mediated immune functions, which further supported the hypothesis that herpesviruses may contribute to the immune defects that eharacterize AIDS."

Outbreak: Cases in Real-World Microbiology, 2nd Edition, is the newest edition of this fascinating textbook designed for introductory microbiology students and instructors. Thoroughly revised, this collection of case studies of real-world disease outbreaks, generously illustrated in full color, offers material that directly impacts college-level students, while the book's unique presentation offers instructors the flexibility to use it effectively in a number of ways. More than 90 outbreak case studies, organized into six sections according to the human body system affected, illustrate the wide range of diseases caused by microbial pathogens. The studies are presented at differing levels of difficulty and can be taught at all undergraduate levels. Each case study includes questions for students to think about, discuss, and answer, and the book includes an appendix that directs students to the specific reference material on which each case was based, providing the opportunity to investigate further and to apply the reference content to the case being studied. Each of the six sections of the book concludes with a College Perspective and a Global Perspective case study. The College Perspective provides a direct and practical link between the microbiology course and the daily lives of students. The Global Perspective connects students with outbreaks that have occurred in countries around the world to facilitate understanding of the social, religious, economic, and political values at play in the treatment and prevention of infectious disease. At the end of every section, detailed descriptions offer concise yet complete information on each disease involved in that section.

Leading basic researchers and clinical scientists describe in detail a wide variety of established and cutting-edge techniques they have developed to study the lifecycle and biological properties of the human papillomavirus. The authors use these readily reproducible methods, ranging from PCR to propagation of HPV in vitro, to detect and type papillomavirus infections, study the papillomavirus lifecycle, and to produce and functionally analyze papillomavirus proteins. The protocols follow the successful Methods in Molecular Medicine (TM) series format, each offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principles behind the technique, lists of the necessary equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Combined fields of Microbiology and Nanotechnology have been most successful in providing novel solutions for protecting the health of humans and environment. This book covers the implications of nano-strategies to combat bacterial pathogens, applications of nanotechniques in microbiology, and innovative advances in the area of medical microbiology. Contents are divided into three sections -- Nanoscience in controlling bacterial pathogens, Nanoscience in Microbiology, Medical Microbiology. This volume is going to provide timely information about the technological advances of Nanoscience in the domain of Microbiology, with a special emphasis on Pathobiology. The book is a useful read for students and researchers in microbiology, nanotechnology and medical microbiology.

Prescott's Principles of Microbiology provides a balanced, comprehensive introduction to all major areas of microbiology. Because of this balance, Prescott's Principles of Microbiology is appropriate for microbiology majors and mixed majors courses. The authors have focused on readability, artwork, and the integration of several key themes, including evolution, ecology and diversity, throughout the text, making an already superior text even better.

This volume aims to describe a variety of techniques that reflects the wide range of research currently performed in the field of coronavirology, and begins with an overview of current understandings of coronavirus replication and pathogenesis to introduce specialists and non-specialists to the field. The rest of the book is divided into several sections of chapters beginning with those that describe identification, diagnosis, and study of the evolution of coronaviruses. The next few chapters discuss the preparation of cells and organ cultures useful in propagating coronaviruses and titration techniques, as well as techniques for analyzing virus functions that require purification of the viruses. The next chapters describe two commonly used reverse genetics techniques for coronaviruses, and techniques detailing identification of cellular receptors, binding profiles of viral attachment proteins, and virus-cell fusion. The final chapters cover a broad spectrum of techniques to identify virus-host protein-protein interactions, confirm the functional role of these proteins in virus replication, study host cell responses through genome-wide or pathway-specific approaches, and visualize virus replication complexes. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, the chapters include the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results in the laboratory. Authoritative and practical, Coronaviruses: Methods and Protocols appeals to a wide variety of scientists because it highlights techniques that are currently used in the coronovirology field, while also discussing practices applicable to other virology fields.

The accurate and reliable diagnosis of transmissible diseases is the most powerful weapon available to ensure their control, and in some cases eradication. The detection of parasites in clinical cases, companion and farm animals, and in the environment is relatively easy since many of them are visible to the naked eye, and those that are not are readily detected by light microscopy. Fungal infections can similarly be determined. Bacteria are somewhat harder to detect. Although their presence can frequently be detected by light microscopy, differential diagnosis, beyond their gross morphology, is almost always impossible. However, most bacterial pathogens can be cultured in the laboratory and can be accurately identified by combinations of a series of simple tests such as morphology, staining, antibiotic sensitivity, biochemical analyses, nutrient dependence, and phage sensitivity. Viruses, however, have proved much more difficult; their size and absolute dependence of the host cell for propagation have rendered useless the methods traditionally used for other microorganisms. Until the development of tissue culture in the middle of this century, diagnosis was entirely dependent on the skill and experience of the clinician. But this was an unreliable process since many of the common virus infections exhibit similar clinical symptoms, such as coryza, exanthema, vomiting, diarrhea, neuralgia, and lethargy. Indeed many viral infections display clinical signs that are indistinguishable from bacterial or parasitic infections.

This reference text is a must have for any current or future clinicians or students of microbiology. It is concisely organized to provide vital information on many of the microbes one will regularly encounter and the most efficacious ways of addressing associated infections. Discussion of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and measures to combat them are also one of the key features of this text. Whether you desire to utilize this book at the bedside for prompt treatment decisions or as a reference manual to be used at your leisure, you will find it to be a valuable addition to your library.

Helicobacter pylori Protocols offers an outstanding collection of state-of-the-art protocols for the identification and molecular manipulation of H. pylori. The authoritative contributors supply detailed and readily reproducible protocols for the culturing of H. pylori, for the isolation and restriction endonuclease digestion of H. pylori chromosomal DNA, and for the transformation and insertional mutagenesis of H. pylori. They also provide molecular epidemiological techniques, including ribotyping, PCR-RFLP, and RAPD-PCR. These procedures have been developed by leading practitioners to solve the difficult technical problems created by the application of the powerful bacterial genetic and molecular cloning techniques to H. pylori.

When Peter Piot was in medical school, a professor warned, "There's no future in infectious diseases. They've all been solved." Fortunately, Piot ignored him, and the result has been an exceptional, adventure-filled career. In the 1970s, as a young man, Piot was sent to Central Africa as part of a team tasked with identifying a grisly new virus. Crossing into the quarantine zone on the most dangerous missions, he studied local customs to determine how this disease-the Ebola virus-was spreading. Later, Piot found himself in the field again when another mysterious epidemic broke out: AIDS. He traveled throughout Africa, leading the first international AIDS initiatives there. Then, as founder and director of UNAIDS, he negotiated policies with leaders from Fidel Castro to Thabo Mbeki and helped turn the tide of the epidemic. Candid and engrossing, No Time to Lose captures the urgency and excitement of being on the front lines in the fight against today's deadliest diseases.

This book provides readers with a collection of latest reviews written by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) research leaders who cover topics related to CHIKV replication, advances in CHIKV research reagents and model system development, as well as the pathogenesis of chronic CHIKV disease. Moreover, the volume updates on recent progress in the development of therapeutics and vaccines for treatment and prevention of CHIKV-induced disease. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that has re-emerged to become a significant global disease threat. Although CHIKV has historically been associated with localized outbreaks of debilitating polyarthralgia in Africa and Asia, factors such as increased global travel and viral adaptation to new mosquito vectors have led to the introduction and spread of CHIKV in new regions of the world, including the Americas. The re-emergence of CHIKV has stimulated significant interest both in understanding the biology of CHIKV and in the development of medical countermeasures against the virus.

Human adenoviruses play a central role in human diseases and as vectors for vaccines and gene delivery. This monograph describes the underlying principles of adenovirus molecular and structural biology, pathogenesis, antiviral measures and vector development. Much of the history of this virus and the many contributions made by its study are embedded in these discussions. Topics and questions that require further investigation are also considered.Although current virology textbooks cover topics related to adenoviruses, this book provides a comprehensive description of the virus and its interactions with the host. Students and researchers with a particular interest in adenoviruses, gene therapists, and virologists interested in viral pathogenesis will benefit from this book, which presents a unique integration of the basics with applied research in the field.

Chronic viral hepatitis has emerged as one of the most common causes of disease and death worldwide. Because of their unique modes of replication and intimate association with the host immune system, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) pose challenging problems to scientists in basic and applied research as well as to clinicians engaged in disease management. Although approved antiviral therapy is available for chronic HBV, the emergence of viral resistance provides a rationale for the development of novel chemotherapeutic agents. The lack of a robust cell culture system for HCV replication and a readily accessible small-animal model of HCV infection have hampered the development of antiviral agents for HCV. Neverthe-less, new antiviral agents targeting HCV are now in preclinical and clinical development.

This monograph, providing an up-to-date overview of the field of Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment, includes contributions from internationally recognized experts in the field of viral hepatitis, and covers the current state of knowledge and practice regarding the molecular biology, immunology, biochemistry, pharmacology and clinical aspects of chronic HBV and HCV infection. The volume includes salient topics such as: the history and epidemiology of HBV and HCV; recent insights into the molecular mechanisms of viral replication; the host immune response to infection and a discussion of the use (HBV) or potential development (HCV) of vaccines; the current standard of care for chronically-infected patients; and emerging therapies and issues associated with current antiviral treatments. The latest information to researchers and clinicians actively engaged in viral hepatitis research is provided, but also sufficient background and discussion of the literature to benefit the newcomer to the field.

This edited volume provides insights about the molecular virology, pathoenesis of infection and host responses to varicella-zoster virus, which is a medically important human herpesvirus. The chapters not only discuss genetics and molecular evolution of the virus, but also new structure-based knowledge on the functions of viral glycoproteins. Further, the authors illustrate how mechanisms from the virus are used to take over and remodel host cells during pathogeneis. These mechanisms also enable viral modulation of host cells and evasion of the host immune response. Part of these evasion and survival strategies, is the reaction to triggered host cell responses like autophagy, the stress response, modulation of apoptosis and other cell death pathways. This hands-on knowledge is crucial for students and clinicians in Virology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases. Chapter "Common features between stroke following varicella in children and stroke following herpes zoster in adults" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via Springerlink.com.

A broad overview of foodborne infectious diseases, this book covers recent outbreaks, highlighting the food sources and pathogens involved. It also examines foodborne infectious diseases in travelers that are not commonly seen in the United States, outbreak investigation, sources and vehicles of foodborne pathogens as well as diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of foodborne infectious diseases. The authors explore the relationship between antibiotic use in animal food and its effects on human health, and the use of "good bacteria" in food to promote health and treat disease.

Selected as CHOICE magazine's Outstanding Academic Title, January 2017.The book is a narrative of the unfolding of the Ebola virus disease outbreak from a scientific view point. The author provides an analysis of the scientific basis of public health policies that have influenced the public's, and the medical community's, abilities to understand the virus and the disease. This is done in the context of providing insights into the biology of the virus, and exploring open questions, including its likely modes of transmission. The author has included citations from the scientific literature and the press, as well as quotes from expert interviews. The book will help sort out the fact from fiction, given the confusion that arose after the virus arrived in the US. The author used his objective research skills and knowledge of evolutionary genetics and molecular biology to find out what was known, and what questions remained unanswered, and even what questions remained unasked.Written in an accessible style, it is intended for the educated general public, scientists, policy makers, health care workers, and politicians. It delves into the problems of trying to derive a logic-based understanding of a highly lethal emerging disease in 2014, when research funding cuts have gutted research institutions, and when public health institutions really were woefully unprepared. It is a highly distinct narrative analysis that is sure to stimulate new research and thinking in public policy. It will inform thousands of people of the nature of the virus, how it works, in terms they are likely to be able to understand. It will allow others to rapidly catch up with the story of Ebola.

Selected as CHOICE magazine's Outstanding Academic Title, January 2017.The book is a narrative of the unfolding of the Ebola virus disease outbreak from a scientific view point. The author provides an analysis of the scientific basis of public health policies that have influenced the public's, and the medical community's, abilities to understand the virus and the disease. This is done in the context of providing insights into the biology of the virus, and exploring open questions, including its likely modes of transmission. The author has included citations from the scientific literature and the press, as well as quotes from expert interviews. The book will help sort out the fact from fiction, given the confusion that arose after the virus arrived in the US. The author used his objective research skills and knowledge of evolutionary genetics and molecular biology to find out what was known, and what questions remained unanswered, and even what questions remained unasked.Written in an accessible style, it is intended for the educated general public, scientists, policy makers, health care workers, and politicians. It delves into the problems of trying to derive a logic-based understanding of a highly lethal emerging disease in 2014, when research funding cuts have gutted research institutions, and when public health institutions really were woefully unprepared. It is a highly distinct narrative analysis that is sure to stimulate new research and thinking in public policy. It will inform thousands of people of the nature of the virus, how it works, in terms they are likely to be able to understand. It will allow others to rapidly catch up with the story of Ebola.

A real-life thriller about a nation in crisis, and the controversial decisions its leaders made during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, the government instituted no restrictions. Then, it didn't order the wearing of face masks. While the rest of the world looked on with incredulity, condemnation, admiration, and even envy, a small country in Northern Europe stood alone. As COVID-19 spread across the globe rapidly, the world shut down. But Sweden remained open. The Swedish COVID-19 strategy was alternately lauded and held up as a cautionary tale by international governments and journalists alike - with all eyes on what has been dubbed 'The Swedish Experiment'. But what made Sweden take such a different path? In The Herd, journalist Johan Anderberg narrates the improbable story of a small nation that took a startlingly different approach to fighting the virus, guiding the reader through the history of epidemiology and the ticking-clock decisions that pandemic decision-makers were faced with on a daily basis.

This detailed volume explores methods and techniques reflecting how viruses can be a beneficial force for all levels of life as well as the mammalian microbiota. Beginning with methods for the development and study of viruses, the book continues with current techniques and approaches used to develop new treatments from virus-derived vaccines to vectors and proteins, such as a range of models and methods designed to measure therapeutic efficacy of virus-derived biologics and therapeutic proteins. 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, Viruses as Therapeutics: Methods and Protocols is an ideal guide for researchers working to further understand how viruses can benefit lifeforms and even prevent damage from other viruses.