Persistent Viral Infections

Persistent Viral Infections Edited by Rafi Ahmed Emory Vaccine Center, Atlanta, USA and Irvin S. Y. Chen UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA During the past decade much of our attention has focused on diseases associated with viral persistence. Major breakthroughs in immunology, and the advent of molecular approaches to study pathogenesis have increased our understanding of the complex virus-host interactions that occur during viral persistence. Persistent Viral Infections focuses on: * The pathogenesis and immunology of chronic infections * Animal models that provide, or have the potential to provide, major insights This volume will be essential reading for virologists, immunologists, oncologists and neurologists.

In recent years, a number of chronic diseases have been linked, in some cases definitively, to an infectious etiology: peptic ulcer disease with Helicobacter pylori, cervical cancer with several human papillomaviruses, Lyme arthritis and neuroborreliosis with Borrelia burgdorferi, AIDS with the human immunodeficiency virus, liver cancer and cirrhosis with hepatitis B and C viruses, to name a few. The proven and suspected roles of microbes does not stop with physical ailments; infections are increasingly being examined as associated causes of or possible contributors to a variety of serious, chronic neuropsychiatric disorders and to developmental problems, especially in children. The Infectious Etiology of Chronic Diseases: Defining the Relationship, Enhancing the Research, and Mitigating the Effects, summarizes a two-day workshop held by the Institute of Medicine's Forum on Microbial Threats to address this rapidly evolving field. Participants explored factors driving infectious etiologies of chronic diseases of prominence, identified difficulties in linking infectious agents with chronic outcomes, and discussed broad-based strategies and research programs to advance the field.

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. Covers all aspects of viral infection, including viral entry, replication, and release, as well as innate and adaptive immunity and viral pathogenesis Provides a fresh perspective on the approaches used to understand how viruses cause disease Features molecular profiling techniques, whole genome sequencing, and innovative computational methods Highlights the use of contemporary approaches and the insights they provide to the field

Gene Therapy for Viral Infections provides a comprehensive review of the broader field of nucleic acid and its use in treating viral infections. The text bridges the gap between basic science and important clinical applications of the technology, providing a systematic, integrated review of the advances in nucleic acid-based antiviral drugs and the potential advantages of new technologies over current treatment options. Coverage begins with the fundamentals, exploring varying topics, including harnessing RNAi to silence viral gene expression, antiviral gene editing, viral gene therapy vectors, and non-viral vectors. Subsequent sections include detailed coverage of the developing use of gene therapy for the treatment of specific infections, the principles of rational design of antivirals, and the hurdles that currently face the further advancement of gene therapy technology. Provides coverage of gene therapy for a variety of infections, including HBV, HCV, HIV, hemorrhagic fever viruses, and respiratory and other viral infections Bridges the gap between the basic science and the important medical applications of this technology Features a broad approach to the topic, including an essential overview and the applications of gene therapy, synthetic RNA, and other antiviral strategies that involve nucleic acid engineering Presents perspectives on the future use of nucleic acids as a novel class of antiviral drugs Arms the reader with the cutting-edge information needed to stay abreast of this developing field

Fenner and White's Medical Virology, Fifth Edition provides an integrated view of related sciences, from cell biology, to medical epidemiology and human social behavior. The perspective represented by this book, that of medical virology as an infectious disease science, is meant to provide a starting point, an anchor, for those who must relate the subject to clinical practice, public health practice, scholarly research, and other endeavors. The book presents detailed exposition on the properties of viruses, how viruses replicate, and how viruses cause disease. These chapters are then followed by an overview of the principles of diagnosis, epidemiology, and how virus infections can be controlled. The first section concludes with a discussion on emergence and attempts to predict the next major public health challenges. These form a guide for delving into the specific diseases of interest to the reader as described in Part II. This lucid and concise, yet comprehensive, text is admirably suited to the needs of not only advanced students of science and medicine, but also postgraduate students, teachers, and research workers in all areas of virology. Features updated and expanded coverage of pathogenesis and immunity Contains the latest laboratory diagnostic methods Provides insights into clinical features of human viral disease, vaccines, chemotherapy, epidemiology, and control

The current proliferation of scientific information makes it difficult for even the most diligent reader to keep up with the latest developments in his/her own field, let alone other areas of interest. Review articles are one solution, but they too have become so voluminous and detailed that they often defeat the purpose for which they were intended. We have attempted to ease this problem by using a different format. In this volume on Concepts in Viral Pathogenesis, we have assembled a series of mini-reviews/editorials, 1,000 to 2,000 words in length. Each is a pithy distil lation of the state-of-the-art with emphasis on current thinking and unifying concepts rather than a compendium of the literature. The 53 articles, all written by active workers in their respective fields, are organized systemati cally so that the book will provide busy investigators, teachers and students of up-to-date information in a very brief and easily read a conceptual core able form. In addition, the authors have attempted to identify unresolved problems and point to future directions.

This seminar referred to latent herpes virus infections in veterinary medicine, with emphasis on the domestic animals. The phenomenon of latency is of particular importance in veterinary medicine because it can jeopardize the successful control and eradication of diseases such as Aujeszky's disease and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, diseases which are often the cause of great economic losses. For this reason, the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) realized the importance of summarizing the present state of knowledge on latent herpes virus infections in veterinary medicine. A seminar was therefore organized by the Federal Research Institute for Animal Virus Diseases in Ttibingen, Federal Republic of Germany, from September 21 to 23, 1982, as a part of the 'Animal Pathology Programme' of the CEC. The seminar was attended by 50 participants not only from the countries of the CEC, and 38 papers were selected for presentation. In veterinary medicine, more intensive investigations on the latency of animal herpes viruses have only relatively recently been initiated. In contrast, great efforts have been made for many years to elucidate latency in human and primate herpes viruses, and consequently the most considerable advances have been made in this field. Some of the most experienced scientists working on both systems were therefore invited. As a result, this seminar was the first occasion on which scientists from different countries and faculties investigating herpes virus latency had the opportunity to present and exchange their latest results. The.