Coxiella Burnetii Recent Advances And New Perspectives In Research Of The Q Fever Bacterium

Coxiella burnetii is the etiological agent of Q fever, a zoonotic disease found worldwide. The bacterium is a fascinating example of intracellular parasitism that has uniquely evolved to thrive in the most inhospitable of cellular compartments-the phagolysosome. Understanding how C. burnetii resists the degradative functions of this vacuole, and the host cell functions coopted for successful parasitism, are central to understanding Q fever pathogenesis. Recent achievements in glycomics and proteomics are guiding development of enhanced detection schemes for the bacterium in addition to shedding light on the host immune response to the pathogen. Several chapters survey immune functions that control or potentially exacerbate Coxiella infection and delve into correlates of protective immunity elicited by vaccination. Comparative genomics is also the foundation of chapters discussing diagnostic antigen discovery and molecular typing of the bacterium, with significance for development of new clinical, epidemiologic, and forensic tools.

Security sensitive microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites) and toxins, which are often referred to as the select agents and toxins, have the capacity to cause serious illness and death in humans, animals, and plants.This book is an authoritative and comprehensive review of security sensitive microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites) and toxins, with an emphasis on the state of the art in the field. Written by experts in the field, the chapters present authoritative reviews, each one covering a single microbe or toxin with respect to its classification, biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, identification, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The chapters also discuss the limitations of our current knowledge and challenges relating to improved detection and control of the microbe or toxin.

Textbook of Zoonoses Comprehensive resource covering the aetiology, epidemiology and transmission cycle, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention and control strategies of the important zoonoses. Zoonoses are the diseases which can spread from animals to humans. This book covers all important zoonoses that are prevalent in today’s world. As a modern learning resource, it incorporates recent scientific developments and concepts to give readers a complete overview of each zoonoses. Written by three well-qualified authors in academia, sample topics covered within the book include: Bacterial, viral, parasitic, rickettsial, fungal, prion, and foodborne zoonoses Aetiology and epidemiology of each zoonotic disease Clinical symptoms and diagnosis in animals and humans Treatment options, plus prevention and control strategies CDC classification of zoonotic agents and the WHO’s list of ‘neglected zoonoses’ Written for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying veterinary public health and epidemiology, Textbook of Zoonoses is also a helpful resource for other veterinary and medical professionals interested in public health and epidemiology.

Many factors have changed interactions between people, animals, and our environment including the emergence and reemergence of diseases such as swine flu, rabies, and diphtheria. By practicing the concept of one health, which relates the close interactions between people, animals, and our environment to overall health, a solution for global wellbeing can be found. Global Applications of One Health Practice and Care provides in-depth research on the concept of one health and the ability to achieve universal health by connecting human health with animal health and a safe environment. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as holism health, drug resistance, and parasitic zoonoses, this book is ideally designed for policy planners, program managers, public health practitioners, animal health specialists, environmentalists, researchers, and academicians seeking current research on achieving better public health outcomes.

This edited volume provides a framework for integrating methods and information drawn from geological and medical sciences and provides case studies in medical geology to illustrate the usefulness of this framework for crafting environmental and public health policies related to natural materials. The relevance of medical geology research to policy decisions is a topic rarely discussed, and this volume attempts to be a unique source for researchers and policy makers in the field of medical geology in addressing this gap in practical medical geology applications. The book's four sections establish this framework in detail using risk assessment, case studies, data analyses and specific medical geology techniques. Following an introduction to medical geology in the context of risk assessment and risk management, the second section discusses specific methods used in medical geology in the categories of geoscience, biomedicine, and data sources. The third section discusses the medical geology of natural materials, energy use, and environmental and workplace impacts. This section includes specific case studies in medical geology, and describes how the methods and data from the previous section are used in a medical geology analysis. The fourth section includes a guide to the medical geology literature and provides some examples of medical geology programs in Asia and Africa.

The molecular age has brought about dramatic changes in medical microbiology, and great leaps in our understanding of the mechanisms of infectious disease. Molecular Medical Microbiology is the first book to synthesise the many new developments in both molecular and clinical research in a single comprehensive resource. This timely and authoritative three-volume work is an invaluable reference source of medical bacteriology. Comprising more than 100 chapters, organized into 17 major sections, the scope of this impressive work is wide-ranging. Written by experts in the field, chapters include cutting-edge information, and clinical overviews for each major bacterial group, in addition to the latest updates on vaccine development, molecular technology and diagnostic technology. Topics covered include bacterial structure, cell function, and genetics; mechanisms of pathogenesis and prevention; antibacterial agents; and infections ranging from gastrointestinal to urinary tract, centrtal nervous system, respiratory tract, and more. The first comprehensive and accessible reference on molecular medical microbiology Full color presentation througout In-depth discussion of individual pathogenic bacteria in a system-oriented approach Includes a clinical overview for each major bacterial group Presents the latest information on vaccine development, molecular technology, and diagnostic technology More than 100 chapters covering all major groups of bacteria Written by an international panel of authors who are experts in their respective disciplines

With the world’s growing population, the provision of a safe, nutritious and wholesome food supply for all has become a major challenge. To achieve this, effective risk management based on sound science and unbiased information is required by all stakeholders, including the food industry, governments and consumers themselves. In addition, the globalization of the food supply requires the harmonization of policies and standards based on a common understanding of food safety among authorities in countries around the world. With some 280 chapters, the Encyclopedia of Food Safety provides unbiased and concise overviews which form in total a comprehensive coverage of a broad range of food safety topics, which may be grouped under the following general categories: History and basic sciences that support food safety; Foodborne diseases, including surveillance and investigation; Foodborne hazards, including microbiological and chemical agents; Substances added to food, both directly and indirectly; Food technologies, including the latest developments; Food commodities, including their potential hazards and controls; Food safety management systems, including their elements and the roles of stakeholders. The Encyclopedia provides a platform for experts from the field of food safety and related fields, such as nutrition, food science and technology and environment to share and learn from state-of-the art expertise with the rest of the food safety community. Assembled with the objective of facilitating the work of those working in the field of food safety and related fields, such as nutrition, food science and technology and environment - this work covers the entire spectrum of food safety topics into one comprehensive reference work The Editors have made every effort to ensure that this work meets strict quality and pedagogical thresholds such as: contributions by the foremost authorities in their fields; unbiased and concise overviews on a multitude of food safety subjects; references for further information, and specialized and general definitions for food safety terminology In maintaining confidence in the safety of the food supply, sound scientific information is key to effectively and efficiently assessing, managing and communicating on food safety risks. Yet, professionals and other specialists working in this multidisciplinary field are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with developments outside their immediate areas of expertise. This single source of concise, reliable and authoritative information on food safety has, more than ever, become a necessity

Q fever is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, which infects a broad range of hosts. This volume presents critical reviews of the biological aspects of C. burnetii. Topics covered include C. burnetii's place in the microbial world through a comparison with other microorganisms that are phylogenetically related or share phenotypic traits; intrinsic properties of Coxiella with respect to infectivity, virulence, and pathogenecity; past and current methods for the isolation, amplification, and purification of C. Burnetii; obligate acidophily; metabolic capabilities, with emphasis on intermediary metabolism, macromolecular synthesis, and protein export; and human immune responses to bacterial components during acute and chronic infection by C. Burnetii. Other fascinating topics about C. Burnetii include antigens, virulence factors, and biological response modifiers; ultrastructure; genetics; cloning and expression; and C. burnetii in the U.S.S.R. and China. Epidemiologists, molecular biologists, microbiologists, and other researchers interested in Q fever and C. burnetii should consider this book an essential reference resource.