The Ecology Of Mycobacteria

Detailed information dealing with the ecology of mycobacteria is derived from a variety of different scientific fields such as botany, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, microbiology and epidemiology. This is the first attempt to evaluate this information from an ecological point of view and to develop a strategy for the prevention of tuberculosis and other mycobacterioses based on the ecological behavior of mycobacteria, especially the potentially pathogenic species capable of either growth in the environment or provoking disease. Regarding the interests of the developing countries, special attention is paid to the ecology of Mycobacterium leprae and to the supporting effect of accompanying mycobacteria in its pathogenicity. On a more positive side, environmental mycobacteria play an important role in the ecology of moorland dragonflies. Such a book is needed for specialists working in the field of mycobacterial research, clinical laboratories, the public health service, food hygiene, the water industry and in general ecology.

habitats and the overlapping of these biotopes by humans and animals contributed to the spread of mycobacteria and perhaps to their convergence to pathogenicity. It was not our intention to present a compendium covering all published results, but rather to issue a “readable” book, which is illustrative and thus focused on the principle facts. The increase in the number of Editors has allowed the sharing of original experiences regarding the ecology of mycobacteria, published here for the ?rst time in some cases. The supplemented edition should serve as a guide to these discoveries and also contribute to an understanding of clinically signi?cant species in human and animal medicine. Borstel, Germany, January 2009 Jindrich Kazda Editors’Comments The editors responsible for the chapters are listed under the title of each chapter. Authors are listed under the titles of subchapters. The references are listed as they appear in the databases Reference Manager (Thomson Reuters, Philadelphia) as imported from Web of Science (Thomson Reuters, Philadelphia) or PubMed (Medline, NLM Bethesda). A few citations, not indexed, were cited according to the reprints or books available. This principle resulted in minor differences in the titles (not all reference titles are in English, some references have capitalized title words, not all species names are according to the contemporary nomenclature and in italics). Some journals are cited with abbreviated titles, some in full, as available in the source databases. These differences were left in the format of the database.

Environmental mycobacteria can be found in diverse environments around the world, some of which have the ability to infect animals, birds and humans and have evolved mechanisms by which they can invade and grow within host cells, the pathogenic environmental mycobacteria (PEM). Although the diseases caused by these organisms have been known for many years, it is only recently that the potential significance of PEM as a waterborne pathogen has been appreciated. This publication discusses current knowledge about the distribution of PEM in water and other parts of the environment, the routes of transmission that lead to human infection, the most significant disease symptoms that can follow infection, methods of analysis and detection, the control of PEM in drinking-water and the assessment and management of risks.

Tuberculosis once again occupies a special position in the areas of infec tious diseases and microbiology. This disease has been important to mankind since even before biblical times. Tuberculosis has been a major cause of morbidity and mortality in humans, especially in highly ur banized Europe, until a few decades ago. Indeed, this disease became a center of many novels, plays, and operas, since it appeared to be quite popular to have the heroine dying of "consumption. " Most importantly, tuberculosis also became the focus of attention for many investigations during the 19th and even the 20th centuries. Major advances were made in the areas of isolation and identification of M. tuberculosis and related microorganisms. The discovery, by Robert Koch, that tuberculosis was caused by an infectious agent revolutionized our thinking about dis eases. Koch's postulates were developed with tuberculosis in mind and became a focal point for many advances in microbiology and medicine. Studies with mycobacteria as a central focus have also led to revolu tionary new concepts about immunology in general. Koch himself showed that those exposed to M. tuberculosis develop a skin hypersen sitivity or allergy to the microorganism's antigens, an observation which was the starting point for many important developments. Indeed, imme diate-type hypersensitivity and atopic or IgE-mediated allergy were de fined in relation to the delayed-type cutaneous hypersensitivity evi denced with the tubercle bacillus.

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM): Microbiological, Clinical and Geographical Distribution is a complete reference that stimulates a greater understanding of NTM infections. Sections cover microbiologic and molecular diagnostic tools, drug susceptibility tests, human genetic susceptibility, prevalence and incidence studies, clinical and radiological presentations, and clinical trials for antibiotic therapy. With the incidence rate of NTM infections increasing globally during the last decade, significant mortality and morbidity must be addressed. This important reference will provide research scientists, clinical microbiologists, hospital diagnostic technicians, and post graduate medical and science students with information on the epidemiology, prevalence, microbiology and clinical aspects of NTM. Highlights new findings in the epidemiological distribution and new diagnosis and treatment protocol of mycobacterial infections Debates new advances in the detection of NTM Demonstrates the distribution of NTM in the environment and its relationship with human infection using a geographical information system (GIS) Includes new radiological findings in non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections in the lung using CT and PET-Scan imaging

This work contains updated and clinically relevant information about tuberculosis. It is aimed at providing a succinct overview of history and disease epidemiology, clinical presentation and the most recent scientific developments in the field of tuberculosis research, with an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment. It may serve as a practical resource for students, clinicians and researchers who work in the field of infectious diseases.

A natural history of the wilderness in our homes, from the microbes in our showers to the crickets in our basements Even when the floors are sparkling clean and the house seems silent, our domestic domain is wild beyond imagination. In Never Home Alone, biologist Rob Dunn introduces us to the nearly 200,000 species living with us in our own homes, from the Egyptian meal moths in our cupboards and camel crickets in our basements to the lactobacillus lounging on our kitchen counters. You are not alone. Yet, as we obsess over sterilizing our homes and separating our spaces from nature, we are unwittingly cultivating an entirely new playground for evolution. These changes are reshaping the organisms that live with us -- prompting some to become more dangerous, while undermining those species that benefit our bodies or help us keep more threatening organisms at bay. No one who reads this engrossing, revelatory book will look at their homes in the same way again.

A major objective of this open access book is to summarize the current status of Buruli Ulcer (BU) research for the first time. It will identify gaps in our knowledge, stimulate research and support control of the disease by providing insight into approaches for surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment of Buruli Ulcer. Book chapters will cover the history, epidemiology diagnosis, treatment and disease burden of BU and provide insight into the microbiology, genomics, transmission and virulence of Mycobacterium ulcerans.