Parasitic infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the world today. Often endemic in developing countries many parasitic diseases are neglected in terms of research funding and much remains to be understood about parasites and the interactions they have with the immune system. This book examines current knowledge about immune responses to parasitic infections affecting humans, including interactions that occur during co-infections, and how immune responses may be manipulated to develop therapeutic interventions against parasitic infection.

For easy reference, the most commonly studied parasites are examined in individual chapters written by investigators at the forefront of their field. An overview of the immune system, as well as introductions to protozoan and helminth parasites, is included to guide background reading. A historical perspective of the field of immunoparasitology acknowledges the contributions of investigators who have been instrumental in developing this field of research.

In multicellular organisms the establishment, maintenance, and programmed alterations of cell-type specific gene expression patterns are regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. Thus, epigenetic alterations (DNA methylation, DNA associated Polycomb-Trithorax protein complexes, histone modifications) ensure the unique transcriptional activity and phenotypic diversity of diploid cells that carry identical or nearly identical DNA sequences. Because DNA methyltransferase I (DNMT1) associates with replication foci during S phase and prefers hemimethylated DNA as a substrate, DNMT1 ensures the clonal propagation of cytosine methylation patterns (maintenance methylation). Thus, DNA methylation may provide a memory function by helping progeny cells to "remember" their proper cellular identity. An alternative system of epigenetic memory, the Polycomb and Trithorax groups of protein complexes, that may operate both independently from and in concert with DNA methylation, ensures the heritable regulation of gene expression via modification of histone tails. The complex interplay of epigenetic regulatory mechanisms permits both the dynamic modulation of gene expression and the faithful transmission of gene expression patterns to each progeny cell upon division. These carefully orchestrated processes can go wrong, however, resulting in epigenetic reprogramming of the cells that may manifest in pathological changes, as it was first realized during the studies of epigenetic alterations in malignant tumors. By now it became a well established fact that not only genetic changes, but also the disruption of epigenetic regulation can result in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Scientists working in other fields soon followed the pioneering work of cancer researchers, and revealed that epigenetic dysregulation forms the basis of a wide spectrum of human diseases.

Apoptosis is a regulated, energy-dependent process by which a cell se- destructs. This mechanism of programmed cell death plays an important role in normal development and control of cell numbers in mature a- mals. Apoptosis was initially defined by morphological criteria to describe the distinctive appearance of dying cells that developed nuclear conden- tion, cell shrinkage, and cytoplasmic blebbing. Initiation of the apoptotic process can come from external or internal stimuli and is highly regulated both by molecules that facilitate and by molecules that inhibit the process. Common features of apoptosis include activation of proteases and - cleases, mitochondrial membrane permeabilization, chromatin disruption, and translocation of phosphatidylserine from the inner to the outer s- face of the plasma membrane. Apoptotic cells attract phagocytes that - gulf the apoptotic bodies and prevent tissue damage in the region. Intense investigation of the cell death process has defined many molecular features of the pathway by which regulation and execution can be exploited by pathogens.

Filled with highly instructional visual images, this atlas covers typical and atypical presentations of microorganisms covering the breadth of clinical microbiology and offers insightful comments aiding their identification and clinical significance. It presents more than 425 colored photomicrographs harvested over the author's 40-year career augmented by an up to date text describing each microbial entity included. While not a text book, the photomicrographic accompaniment of microorganisms and their clinical presentation, should make the atlas of immense value for clinical microbiologists, medical, nursing, and laboratory students, and infectious diseases practitioners.

Prominent experts in biodefense research-many from the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases-authoritatively delineate the universe of scientific, medical, and legal issues facing the biodefense research community. Regarding medical countermeasures and decontamination, the authors describe the treatment and pathogenesis of a variety of established pathogens (anthrax, plague, smallpox, Brucellosis, Glanders, and Coxiella burnettii) and review what is known about the aerosol route of infection and decontamination processes. They also examine how to discover the presence of these agents, or other previously unknown biological weapons, and detail the ongoing efforts to counter these agents, including proteomic and genomic analysis as a gateway to better diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccinations, genotyping, and forensics. Additional chapters discuss the development and use technology to identify and characterize these infectious organisms, emerging threats, and the development of countermeasures.

Book covers course with topics in infectious diseases in children and is intended for Pediatric Infectious disease clinical researchers, trainees, trainers, and all those who manage the research of children with infections and the children themselves. The conference is being supported by several societies and is sponsored by several pharmaceutical companies, such as Aventis, Baxter, Chiron Vaccines, Wyeth, etc. ToC reflects the scientific program found here: http: //www.oxfordiic.org/#course

This is a review text on medical microbiology and immunology containing approximately 625 board-type review questions on left-hand pages with answers and explanations on facing right-hand pages. It is designed for medical students taking microbiology as well as for those studying for Step 1 of the National Board Exams and is also useful for Step 3 National Boards on infectious diseases or allergy and immunology. The book's main sections cover general and medical microbiology, bacteriology, virology, immunology, and parasitology. The answers summarize relevant information and point out the fault in incorrect answers. Line drawings and figures are used for questions concerning structure of both molecules and organisms and for interpreting graphical results. Authors Reese, Brownell, and Nair, all with the Medical College of Georgia, bring a combined total of some 85 years of medical school teaching experience to their development of the questions and annotated answers for this book.

Filling a gap in the literature, this guide analyzes EBV infection and all of its associated disorders including infectious mononucleosis, Burkitt lymphoma, and Hodgkin's disease. Opening with a historical introduction, the reference progresses from molecular virology, epidemiology, immunology, and pathology to clinical presentation, diagnosis, disease detection, patient management, and vaccine development.

This innovative reference explores a wide selection of topics associated with aging, providing a solid understanding of the significance and molecular basis of the aging process and charting the course of future research in the area. Stresses the interplay of mitochondria, mitochondrial DNA, oxidants, and antioxidants! Featuring the research of over 55 experts in the area, Understanding the Process of Aging -covers the functions of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in mitochondria -integrates several views on the role of mitochondria in the development of apoptosis -gives a quantitative analysis of mutations of mitochondrial DNA during human aging -highlights mitochondrial free radical production -introduces new roles of ubiquinone in mitochondrial functions -offers new antioxidant-based complementary therapeutic strategies -details aspects of intact cells and whole organisms in health and disease -and more! Featuring over 1800 references, tables, drawings, and photographs, Understanding the Process of Aging benefits nutritionists and dieticians, geriatricians, cell and molecular biologists, chemists and biochemists, pharmacologists, biotechnologists, neurologists, cardiologists, oncologists, dermatologists, and graduate and medical school students in these disciplines.

Varicella-zostervirus(VZV)isamedicallyimportanthumanherpesvirus,belo- ingtothesubfamilyAlphaherpesviridae. Thecapacitytopersistinsensoryneurons isade?ningcharacteristicoftheAlphaherpesviridaesubgroupwhichalsoincludes herpessimplexvirus1and2;likeVZV,simianvaricellavirus(SVV),pseudorabies virus-1(PRV-1),andequineherpesvirus-1(EHV-1)belongtotheVaricellovirus genus. ThebasicelementsoftheinfectiouscycleofVZVinthehumanhostarethat infectionofthena?vehostresultsinvaricella,commonlyknownaschickenpox, latencyisestablishedinsensoryganglia,andreactivationcauseszosteror"sh- gles. "Therelationshipbetweenthecausative agentofvaricellaandzoster was demonstratedmorethan100yearsagowhenchildreninoculatedwithmaterialfrom zosterlesionswereshowntodevelopvaricella. Thelocalizeddistributionofthe zosterrashwasalsorecognizedasdemarcatingthedematomeinnervatedbyaxons fromneuronsineachofthesensoryganglia. Earlyelectronmicroscopystudies showedthatvirusparticleswerepresentinhighconcentrationsinthevesicular ?uidfrombothvaricellaandzosterlesions,andVZVwasamongthe?rstviruses propagatedinvitrobyJohnEndersandThomasWeller. Theintroductionofim- nosuppressivetherapiesformalignancyledtoobservationssuggestingtheneed forcell-mediatedimmunityinthehostresponsetovaricellaanditsroleinma- tainingVZVlatency. Fortunately,earlystudiesofthemolecularvirologyofVZV revealedthatitwasinhibitedbyinterferencewiththethymidinekinasegene,and thelife-threateningandoftenfatalVZVinfectionsexperiencedbythesepatients becametreatablewithantiviraldrugs. Subsequently,thecapacitytogrowVZVin tissueculturewasexploitedtocreatealiveattenuatedVZVvaccinebyMichiaki Tashihaki. Whilenowtakenforgranted,theseearlyinsightsaboutVZVandits characteristicsasahumanpathogenaswellasthedevelopmentofeffectivean- viral drugs and vaccines occurred over many decades. Importantly, these early observationssetthestagefortheremarkableprogressthathasbeenmadeinour understandingofthemolecularbiologyofVZV,thesubtletiesofitstropismfor differentiatedhumancells,includinglymphocytesaswellasskinandneurons,and themechanismsbywhichthevirusachievesanequilibriumwiththehostsothatit persistsnotjustintheindividualbutinthehumanpopulation. v vi Preface Thepurposeofthisvolumeistoreviewkeyareasofprogressinthe?eldofVZV research,aswellasworkontherelatedSVV,writtenbythosewhohavecontributed manyofthenew? ndingsthathaveenrichedourknowledgeoftheuniquech- acteristicsofthisubiquitoushumanpathogen. AlthoughtheVZVgenomeisthe smallestamongthehumanherpesviruses,therapidlyacceleratingpaceofdiscovery about VZV and VZV-host interactions re?ected in these reviews promises to continueasnewtoolsareavailableandnewhypothesesaregeneratedtoexplain howVZVhascreatedandmaintaineditsnicheinthehuman"virome"Therelationshipbetweenthecausative agentofvaricellaandzoster was demonstratedmorethan100yearsagowhenchildreninoculatedwithmaterialfrom zosterlesionswereshowntodevelopvaricella. Thelocalizeddistributionofthe zosterrashwasalsorecognizedasdemarcatingthedematomeinnervatedbyaxons fromneuronsineachofthesensoryganglia. Earlyelectronmicroscopystudies showedthatvirusparticleswerepresentinhighconcentrationsinthevesicular ?uidfrombothvaricellaandzosterlesions,andVZVwasamongthe?rstviruses propagatedinvitrobyJohnEndersandThomasWeller. Theintroductionofim- nosuppressivetherapiesformalignancyledtoobservationssuggestingtheneed forcell-mediatedimmunityinthehostresponsetovaricellaanditsroleinma- tainingVZVlatency. Fortunately,earlystudiesofthemolecularvirologyofVZV revealedthatitwasinhibitedbyinterferencewiththethymidinekinasegene,and thelife-threateningandoftenfatalVZVinfectionsexperiencedbythesepatients becametreatablewithantiviraldrugs. Subsequently,thecapacitytogrowVZVin tissueculturewasexploitedtocreatealiveattenuatedVZVvaccinebyMichiaki Tashihaki. Whilenowtakenforgranted,theseearlyinsightsaboutVZVandits characteristicsasahumanpathogenaswellasthedevelopmentofeffectivean- viral drugs and vaccines occurred over many decades. Importantly, these early observationssetthestagefortheremarkableprogressthathasbeenmadeinour understandingofthemolecularbiologyofVZV,thesubtletiesofitstropismfor differentiatedhumancells,includinglymphocytesaswellasskinandneurons,and themechanismsbywhichthevirusachievesanequilibriumwiththehostsothatit persistsnotjustintheindividualbutinthehumanpopulation. v vi Preface Thepurposeofthisvolumeistoreviewkeyareasofprogressinthe?eldofVZV research,aswellasworkontherelatedSVV,writtenbythosewhohavecontributed manyofthenew?ndingsthathaveenrichedourknowledgeoftheuniquech- acteristicsofthisubiquitoushumanpathogen. AlthoughtheVZVgenomeisthe smallestamongthehumanherpesviruses,therapidlyacceleratingpaceofdiscovery about VZV and VZV-host interactions re?ected in these reviews promises to continueasnewtoolsareavailableandnewhypothesesaregeneratedtoexplain howVZVhascreatedandmaintaineditsnicheinthehuman"virome"sos- cessfully. Further improvements in the clinical management of VZV infection shouldemergeinparallelwithbetterinsightsintoVZVmolecularvirologyand pathogenesis. Stanford,CA,June,2010 AllisonAbendroth AnnM. Arvin JenniferF. Moffat Contents TheVaricella-ZosterVirusGenome ...1 JeffreyI. Cohen VZVMolecularEpidemiology ...15 JudithBreuer RolesofCellularTranscriptionFactorsinVZVReplication ...43 WilliamT. Ruyechan EffectsofVaricella-ZosterVirusonCellCycleRegulatoryPathways ...67 JenniferF. MoffatandRebeccaJ. Greenblatt Varicella-ZosterVirusOpenReadingFrame66ProteinKinase andItsRelationshiptoAlphaherpesvirusUS3Kinases ...79 AngelaErazoandPaulR. Kinchington VZVORF47SerineProteinKinaseandItsViralSubstrates ...99 TeriK. KenyonandCharlesGrose OverviewofVaricella-ZosterVirusGlycoproteinsgC,gHandgL ...113 CharlesGrose,JohnE. Carpenter,WallenJackson,andKarenM. Duus AnalysisoftheFunctionsofGlycoproteinsEandIandTheirPromoters DuringVZVReplicationInVitroandinSkinandT-CellXenografts intheSCIDMouseModelofVZVPathogenesis ...129 AnnM. Arvin,StefanOliver,MikeReichelt,JenniferF. Moffat, MarvinSommer,LeighZerboni,andBarbaraBerarducci Varicella-ZosterVirusGlycoproteinM ...147 YasukoMoriandTomohikoSadaoka vii viii Contents VaricellaZosterVirusImmuneEvasionStrategies ...155 AllisonAbendroth,PaulR. Kinchington,andBarrySlobedman VZVInfectionofKeratinocytes:ProductionofCell-FreeInfectious VirionsInVivo ...173 MichaelD. GershonandAnneA. Gershon Varicella-ZosterVirusTCellTropismandthePathogenesis ofSkinInfection ...189 AnnM. Arvin,JenniferF. Moffat,MarvinSommer,StefanOliver, XibingChe,SusanVleck,LeighZerboni,andChia-ChiKu ExperimentalModelstoStudyVaricella-ZosterVirusInfection ofNeurons ...211 MeganSteain,BarrySlobedman,andAllisonAbendroth MolecularCharacterizationofVaricellaZosterVirusinLatently InfectedHumanGanglia:PhysicalStateandAbundanceofVZV DNA,QuantitationofViralTranscriptsandDetection ofVZV-Speci?cProteins ...229 YevgeniyAzarkh,DonGilden,andRandallJ. Cohrs NeurologicalDiseaseProducedbyVaricellaZosterVirusReactivation WithoutRash ...2 43 DonGilden,RandallJ. Cohrs,RaviMahalingam,andMariaA. Nagel Varicella-ZosterVirusNeurotropisminSCIDMouse-Human DorsalRootGangliaXenografts ...255 L. Zerboni,M. Reichelt,andA. Arvin RodentModelsofVaricella-ZosterVirusNeurotropism ...277 JeffreyI. Cohen SimianVaricellaVirus:MolecularVirology ...291 WayneL. Gray SimianVaricellaVirusPathogenesis ...309 RaviMahalingam,IlhemMessaoudi,andDonGilden Varicella-ZosterVirusVaccine:MolecularGenetics ...323 D. ScottSchmid VZVTCell-MediatedImmunity ...341 AdrianaWeinbergandMyronJ. Levin Contents ix PerspectivesonVaccinesAgainstVaricella-ZosterVirusInfections ...359 AnneA. GershonandMichaelD. Gershon Index ...373 . Contributors Allison Abendroth Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, UniversityofSydney,BlackburnBuilding,Room601,Camperdown,NSW 2006, Australia and Centre for Virus Research, Westmead Millennium Institute,Westmead,NSW2145,Australia,allison. abendroth@sydney. edu. au AnnM. Arvin StanfordUniversitySchoolofMedicine,G311,Stanford,CA 94305,USA,aarvin@stanford.

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.

Human Vaccines: Emerging Technologies in Design and Development discusses the advances in molecular biology, biophysics, and informatics-among other disciplines-that have provided scientists with the tools to create new vaccines against emerging and re-emerging pathogens. For example, the virus-like particle technologies that led to licensing of highly efficacious HPV vaccines have only come into full realization in the last 10 years. Their success has, in turn, accelerated the pace with which nanoparticle vaccines are being developed Given the rapidity with which the field is changing and the absence of any text documenting this change, there is a need for a resource that surveys these new vaccine technologies, assesses their potential, and describes their applications. This book provides that resource and complements traditional vaccinology books, but also serves as an excellent standalone for researchers and students with basic knowledge in immunology.

Metabolomics and Microbiomics: Personalized Medicine from the Fetus to the Adult encompasses the most recent advances on the usage of metabolomics and microbiome research to improve disease diagnosis and healthcare. Medicine is changing from epidemiologic, descriptive, reductionist, and reactive approaches to individualized, predictive, and holistic ones by applying microbiomics to understand the functionality of the human body. The book discusses topics such as systems biology approaches, omics technologies, perinatal programming, and personalized medicine. It also discusses the ethical implications of microbiomics research and new pathways of research, such as renal regenerative medicine, gender medicine in perinatology, and animals and the science of healing. The book is a valuable resource for medical professionals and researchers in metabolomics, nutrition, microbiology, and personalized-predictive medicine. The book also will appeal to non-specialized professionals who may take advantage of its captivating and simple language.

Macrophages are a key component of the innate immune system and play an integral role in host defense and homeostasis. On one hand, these cells contribute to host defence by triggering inflammation, displaying microbicidal/tumoricidal properties, regulating the activation of adaptive immunity and promoting resolution of inflammation. On the other hand, they contribute to essential trophic functions such as neural patterning, bone morphogenesis and ductal branching in mammary glands. Thus, macrophages are extremely versatile cells that can respond efficiently to tissue micro environmental cues by polarizing to distinct phenotypes, depending on the functions they need to perform. Indeed, functional diversity and plasticity are hallmarks of these cells.

Macrophages may also play a detrimental role. An overwhelming body of literature has indicated their crucial role in pathogenesis. The list includes sepsis, cancer, metabolic syndrome, immunodeficiency, auto-immune disease-virtually impacting every major pathology that we know. These observations have suggested macrophages and their related molecules as potential targets in therapeutic applications. Available evidence proclaims macrophages as a key player in homeostasis, host defense and disease. Crucial developments in the past few years call for a re-evaluation and update of our understanding of macrophages. The present book is an endeavour that attempts provide state-of-the art knowledge of these cells in health and disease.

Although respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been a high priority for vaccine development for over 50 years now, still no vaccine is available and none has yet demonstrated sufficient promise to move to licensure. The success of RSV immune prophylaxis and the availability of ever more powerful tools to study the immune response and pathogenesis of disease, combined with the ability to construct a wide variety of vaccines using different vaccine platforms, give us grounds to believe that an RSV vaccine is within reach. This book brings together in one source what is currently known about the virus: its clinical and epidemiologic features; the host response and pathogenesis of the disease; vaccines, vaccine platforms, and treatment; and animal and tissue culture models of RSV infection. It is designed to organize the critical information relevant to RSV vaccine development, facilitate the assimilation of data, and speed progress toward producing a safe and effective vaccine.

Predictive microbiology primarily deals with the quantitative assessment of microbial responses at a macroscopic or microscopic level, but also involves the estimation of how likely an individual or population is to be exposed to a microbial hazard. This book provides an overview of the major literature in the area of predictive microbiology, with a special focus on food. The authors tackle issues related to modeling approaches and their applications in both microbial spoilage and safety. Food spoilage is presented through applications of best-before-date determination and commercial sterility. Food safety is presented through applications of risk-based safety management. The different modeling aspects are introduced through probabilistic and stochastic approaches, including model and data uncertainty, but also biological variability.

Viral Pathogenesis: From Basics to Systems Biology, Third Edition, has been thoroughly updated to cover topical advances in the evolving field of viral pathogenesis, while also providing the requisite classic foundational information for which it is recognized. The book provides key coverage of the newfound ability to profile molecular events on a system-wide scale, which has led to a deeper understanding of virus-host interactions, host signaling and molecular-interaction networks, and the role of host genetics in determining disease outcome. In addition, the content has been augmented with short chapters on seminal breakthroughs and profiles of their progenitors, as well as short commentaries on important or controversial issues in the field. Thus, the reader will be given a view of virology research with perspectives on issues such as biomedical ethics, public health policy, and human health. In summary, the third edition will give the student a sense of the exciting new perspectives on viral pathogenesis that have been provided by recent developments in genomics, computation, modeling, and systems biology.

Medical Microbiology is an excellent and easy-to-use textbook which explains the roles of microorganisms in human health and illness. Written in a clear and engaging manner, the book provides an overview of pathogenic organisms, their diagnosis and treatment tools as well as the molecular mechanisms of hostpathogen interactions and antimicrobial drug resistance.

Man has moved rapidly from the hunter-gatherer environment to the living conditions of the rich industrialised countries. The hygiene hypothesis suggests that the resulting changed and reduced pattern of exposure to micro-organisms has led to disordered regulation of the immune system, and hence to increases in certain chronic inflammatory disorders. The concept began with the allergic disorders, but there are now good reasons for extending it to autoimmunity, inflammatory bowel disease, atherosclerosis, depression associated with raised inflammatory cytokines, some cancers and perhaps neuroinflammatory disorders such as Alzheimer s and Parkinson s. This book discusses the evidence for and against in the context of Darwinian medicine, which uses knowledge of evolution to cast light on human diseases. It is the first book to consider the broader implications of the hygiene hypothesis in areas of medicine where it has not previously been applied. The approach is interdisciplinary, looking at man s microbiological history, at the biology of the effects of microorganisms on the immune system, and at the implications for chronic inflammatory disorders in multiple organ systems. Finally, the authors describe progress in the exploitation of microorganisms or their components as novel prophylactics and treatments in several branches of medicine."

This book deals with the emerging concept that certain pathogenic bacteria and viruses, when infecting people with cancer, actively fight tumors, allowing their regression. Although such observations go back more than 100 years, use of specific bacterial strains, or viruses, usually genetically modified with known anticancer drugs, and their protein/peptide products, has gained ground in recent years, allowing significant cancer regression in clinical trials with stage III/IV cancer patients or even in pediatric brain tumor patients, often without any demonstration of toxicity. It is composed of 12 chapters written by pioneers in microbial, biotech, and cancer research and covers the emerging roles of various microorganisms and their products in cancer therapy. The book highlights the benefits of using conventional cancer treatments (such as chemo- and radiotherapies) with microbial-based therapies. Such combinatorial therapies have gained particular attention as a strategy to overcome drug resistance, and the readers of the book will discover their impact on fundamental research and promising results from clinical trials.

Over the years, Oxfam has been involved in a wide variety of health-related projects. The Practical Health Guides draw on this experience to put forward ideas on best practice in the provision of health care and services in developing countries The number of refugees and displaced persons has increased greatly in recent years. At least 80 per cent of them are living in tropical or semi-tropical countries where vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever and sleeping sickness are common and cause widespread sickness and death in the crowded conditions of refugee camps. This work is intended to help development workers and planners to identify and assess the risks of vector-borne diseases in a camp and to plan and implement cost-effective ways of controlling them. The main vector-borne diseases are described, the importance of identifying the particular disease and its vector and of considering a variety of methods of control is emphasized. The book discusses the need for a community-based approach to vector control, the safe use of insecticides and selection of spraying equipment. Also included are lists of suppliers of insecticides and equipment, sources of advice and recommended texts.

Fourteen brucellosis experts from seven countries discuss the history, epidemiology, microbiology, immunology, diagnosis, treatment, and control of brucellosis in animals and man. Edited by members of the World Health Organization's Expert Committee on Brucellosis, this text is the first comprehensive treatment of the disease since The Nature of Brucellosis by Wesley W. Spink in 1956. Topics reviewed with current references include infection caused by newer species of Brucella, such as B. canis, newer diagnostic techniques, such as radioimmunoassay and ELISA, and newer treatments, such as rifampin and the quinolones. The pathogenesis and pathophysiology of brucellosis is reviewed in depth, correlating the disease in animals with the illness in humans. This volume is extremely useful for clinicians, researchers, and students in medicine, veterinary science, microbiology, immunology, epidemiology, public health, and international health.

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 specimens of public health significance as well as clinical specimens.