Mycobacteria and TB

BOOK REVIEW^*

KAUFMANN, Stefan H.E. & HAHN, Helmut, ed. – Mycobacteria and TB. Basel, Karger, 2003. 156p. ilus. ISBN 3-8055-7459-2. (Issues in Infectious Diseases, v.2, Series Editors: Heinz ZEICHHARDT & Brian W.J. MAHY. ISSN 1660-1890).

Tuberculosis remains one of the main fatal infections in humans. With annual morbidity and mortality rates worldwide of 8 and 2 million cases respectively, the disease is far from being eradicated. In fact, the dangerous liaison between TB and HIV, and the increasing incidences of multi-drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are aggravating the problem. The latest epidemiological data indicate that new drugs and a novel vaccine are urgently needed to control TB adequately.

This volume summarizes the state of the art in the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of TB. In addition, the molecular biology of M. tuberculosis and the immunology of the host response are presented. Researchers are beginning to understand how the immune response controls the pathogen quite efficiently, yet fails to eradicate it completely in the 2 billion people worldwide who are infected but do not develop the disease. Finally, recent strategies towards the development of new vaccines are reviewed.

Scientists investigating the epidemiology, immunology and molecular biology of TB or engaged in vaccine and drug development as well as physicians and social workers treating TB patients will benefit from this timely overview.

Contents:

1. Tuberculosis as a global public health problem - D.A. Enarson (Paris).

2. New perspectives in the molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis - D. van Soolingen, K. Kremer (Bilthoven), E. Vynycky (London).

3. Vaccination - The current status of BCG - C.J. Clements (Geneva).

4. Laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis - G.E. Pfyffer (Zurich).

5. Mycobacteria and TB - Therapy and drug resistance - S. Niemann, S. Rusch-Gerdes (Borstel).

6. Molecular biology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis - G. Saunders, J. McFadden (Guildford).

7. Immunology and persistence - T. Ulrichs, S.H.E. Kaufmann (Berlin).

8. New strategies for the design of vaccines against Tuberculosis - B. Gicquel (Paris).

9. Modern drug development - C.E. Barry III ( Rockville, Md).

The book series "Issues in Infectious Diseases" (formerly: Infectiology): Infections are a constant threat to human health. Over the last two decades a number of new infective agents such as HIV and prions have been identified, and several infectious diseases previously considered under control have suddenly reemerged. The problem of infection is aggravated by the resistance of many microorganisms to currently available antiinfectives and by the growing number of immuno-compromised people worldwide. The steadily rising incidence of nosocomial infections is a further cause for concern.

This series presents original data and reviews the latest clinical information on infectious diseases of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic origin. Covering epidemiology, pathogenesis, prevention and treatment, it also considers the latest diagnostic techniques, evaluates new antimicrobial drugs and reports recent advances in vaccine development. As infections involve almost all branches of medicine, books published in this series will represent a valuable source of information for a wide spectrum of clinicians and health care professionals..

S. Karger AG

Allschwilerstrasse 10

P.O. Box Postfach

CH-4009 Basel – Switzerland

E-Mail: [e-mail] www.karger.com/iinfd

*This book is available at the Library of the Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo

This book is available at the Library of the Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  02 Jan 2003
• Date of issue
  Dec 2002