Microbial Ecology and Infectious Disease

Recent research in microbial ecology has revealed new tools and new concepts which can stimulate medical microbiology. Similarly, some of the best research in microbial ecology has been carried out by medical microbiologists trying to understand how microorganisms survive and live in a particular ecological niche in the human body. This new volume emphasizes how interaction between these two disciplines can stimulate new research approaches and lead to unifying concepts.

Experts review important new topics in microbiology, including quorum sensing, horizontal gene transfer in Vibrio cholerae, anthrax toxin, invasion mechanisms, bacterial bleaching of corals, response to starvation, cell-to-cell interactions, natural genetic engineering, and prions. Each chapter offers a general introduction to the topic, a specific introduction to the research, a critical evaluation of the most recent research on the subject, and a special section on unresolved questions and future research. The book also provides an up-to-date and comprehensive bibliography.

Microbial Ecology and Infectious Disease contains a selection of some of the best recent research in microbial ecology and the mechanisms of infectious disease. It is valuable reading for teachers, students, and researchers in general microbiology, medical microbiology, and microbial ecology.