Immunology Of Infectious Diseases

An integrated view of the principal aspects of immune response to all types of infectious agents, emphasizing the immune system as a host defense system. * Illustrates how the dialogue between different types of pathogens and the host immune system, as well as the cross-talk between the different members of the immune response, works. * Serves as valuable reading for microbiologists interested in pathogenesis and immunology; clinicians with an interest in immunology, virology, vaccine development, infectious diseases, bacteriology, parasitology, pathology, and cell biology; and immunologists wanting to expand their knowledge of infectious diseases and their causative agents.

Publisher Description

In the first place may I say how grateful I and others are to those who have contributed chapters for this book; all of them are well known for their research on the subject on which they have written and each has indicated the background to his own specialist field by providing an extensive bibliography giving this book a total reference list of over 2,500. Although there have been enormous advances in immunology over recent years, much of the new knowledge in relation to infectious diseases was scattered over the world's literature and is now brought together in a single volume. Furthermore, while a number of previously unknown infectious diseases have recently been discovered (e.g. Marburg and Lassa virus infections and Legionnaires' disease) to which many new techniques have been applied, there seemed to be no clear statement of the rationale for their use, or for their further exploitation in some of the more common infectious diseases which are discussed in this book.

Humans coexist with millions of harmless microorganisms, but emerging diseases, resistance to antibiotics, and the threat of bioterrorism are forcing scientists to look for new ways to confront the microbes that do pose a danger. This report identifies innovative approaches to the development of antimicrobial drugs and vaccines based on a greater understanding of how the human immune system interacts with both good and bad microbes. The report concludes that the development of a single superdrug to fight all infectious agents is unrealistic.

The Janeway's Immunobiology CD-ROM, Immunobiology Interactive, is included with each book, and can be purchased separately. It contains animations and videos with voiceover narration, as well as the figures from the text for presentation purposes.

This concise text explores the interactions between pathogens and the immune system. Taking a disease-based approach, it explains how micro-organisms adapted to growth in human hosts can evade the immune system and cause disease. The opening chapter overviews the innate and adaptive immune responses to microbes. Subsequent chapters are specific to particular pathogens, beginning with their biology and leading on to illustrate mechanisms of adaptation and ensuing consequences. Each of these chapters ends with a summary, review questions and further reading lists. Summaries, review questions and further reading make this book suitable for self-directed study. Infection and Immunity is ideal for any undergraduates taking a course that explores the interaction between pathogens and the human immune system.

The authors describe the main causes of infection that our bodies have to battle against - from bacteria to viruses - and explain the intricate and fascinating way that our bodies respond to infection - from detection of these potentially dangerous organisms, to their ultimate elimination