Statistical Genetics In Infectious Disease Susceptibility

"Progress in the molecular analysis of genetic susceptibility to human and animal infectious diseases has been very rapid over the last few years. Several genes involved in resistance to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, viral hepatitis, herpesvirus infections, prion diseases, and several others have now been identified, and their functions have partly or completely been elucidated." "This book covers the most recent advances in the field and explores how progress in knowing the genetic basis of infectious diseases could lead to new insights into understanding and combating them."--BOOK JACKET.

In the last fifteen years, substantial progress has been made in identifying why some people are particularly susceptible to specific infectious diseases. Extensive evidence has accumulated that host genes are important determinants of the outcome of infection for many common pathogens. This book summarises advances that have been made in understanding the complexity of host genetic susceptibility. The diseases covered include those of great public health importance such as malaria and HIV, and those of topical interest such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Many different techniques have been used to identify host genes involved in infectious disease susceptibility. Each chapter describes how these discoveries were made and the book is therefore useful to anyone planning genetic studies on a multi-factorial disease, regardless of whether it has an infectious etiology.

Infectious diseases are commonly regarded as a distinct category, with different causes and patterns than chronic or genetic disease. But in fact there are many varieties of genetic susceptibility to infection, the subject of this book, which will be divided into three sections: 1) concepts and methods, 2) genes and pathophysiologic mechanisms, and 3) infectious agents and diseases. This text uniquely focuses on the genetic aspects of the special relationship between host and pathogen in the way envisioned for Section 1, and deals systematically with the sequence variation/function relationships most pertinent to infection as planned for Section 2. Section 3 provides a meaningful picture of how these genes operate in infectious disease.

Genetics and Evolution of Infectious Diseases is at the crossroads between two major scientific fields of the 21st century: evolutionary biology and infectious diseases. The genomic revolution has upset modern biology and has revolutionized our approach to ancient disciplines such as evolutionary studies. In particular, this revolution is profoundly changing our view on genetically driven human phenotypic diversity, and this is especially true in disease genetic susceptibility. Infectious diseases are indisputably the major challenge of medicine. When looking globally, they are the number one killer of humans and therefore the main selective pressure exerted on our species. Even in industrial countries, infectious diseases are now far less under control than 20 years ago. The first part of this book covers the main features and applications of modern technologies in the study of infectious diseases. The second part provides detailed information on a number of the key infectious diseases such as malaria, SARS, avian flu, HIV, tuberculosis, nosocomial infections and a few other pathogens that will be taken as examples to illustrate the power of modern technologies and the value of evolutionary approaches. Takes an integrated approach to infectious diseases Includes contributions from leading authorities Provides the latest developments in the field

This informative guide provides a comprehensive overview of the biology and care of immunodeficient rodents, which are essential for the study of human diseases and the development of new treatments. It is an invaluable resource for scientists, veterinarians, and animal care professionals. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Over the past century, we have made great strides in reducing rates of disease and enhancing people's general health. Public health measures such as sanitation, improved hygiene, and vaccines; reduced hazards in the workplace; new drugs and clinical procedures; and, more recently, a growing understanding of the human genome have each played a role in extending the duration and raising the quality of human life. But research conducted over the past few decades shows us that this progress, much of which was based on investigating one causative factor at a time—often, through a single discipline or by a narrow range of practitioners—can only go so far. Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment examines a number of well-described gene-environment interactions, reviews the state of the science in researching such interactions, and recommends priorities not only for research itself but also for its workforce, resource, and infrastructural needs.

Raising hopes for disease treatment and prevention, but also the specter of discrimination and "designer genes," genetic testing is potentially one of the most socially explosive developments of our time. This book presents a current assessment of this rapidly evolving field, offering principles for actions and research and recommendations on key issues in genetic testing and screening. Advantages of early genetic knowledge are balanced with issues associated with such knowledge: availability of treatment, privacy and discrimination, personal decision-making, public health objectives, cost, and more. Among the important issues covered: Quality control in genetic testing. Appropriate roles for public agencies, private health practitioners, and laboratories. Value-neutral education and counseling for persons considering testing. Use of test results in insurance, employment, and other settings.

First edition published in 2002. Second edition published in 2008.