The last decade has witnessed the unravelling of remarkable new insights into the biology of Vibrio cholerae. These include the discovery of the filamentous phage that encodes cholera toxin, the existence of two chromosomes in V. cholerae, and the sequencing of the whole genome of the V. cholerae O1 strain N16961. These pioneering works have led to an inevitable escalation in the amount of data generated. This book distills the essence of this mighty deluge of information, providing a timely review of the genomics and molecular biology of this important human pathogen. Written by leading V. cholerae experts, the chapters review the most important cutting-edge genetic facets of V. cholerae including its genomic organization, population genetics, molecular epidemiology, and synchronized regulation of gene expression. Other topics include the molecular basis for enhanced transmissibility of cholera during epidemics, survival of the pathogen in the environment, and above all the evolution

Food- and waterborne pathogens continue to be a major cause of mortality in developing countries and cause significant morbidity in developed nations. Important pathogens include species or strains of Salmonella, Vibrio, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Yersinia, Staphylococcus and Campylobacter. Understanding the molecular basis of pathogenesis, its evolution and spread is critical to the development of new strategies for disease prevention and control. The application of genomic and other omics technologies in recent years has led to a deluge of information in this area, making it difficult for the busy researcher to keep abreast of developments. This timely book aims to capture the essence of the latest developments to provide a timely overview of the field.