This volume focuses on antibiotics research, a field of topical significance for human health due to the worrying increase of nosocomial infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria. It covers several basic aspects, such as the evolution of antibiotic resistance and the influence of antibiotics on the gut microbiota, and addresses the search for novel pathogenicity blockers as well as historic…
This Brief provides a comprehensive overview of Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasite that is traditionally considered as exclusively vectorborne, but can be foodborne, and may lead to outbreaks of Chagas disease in consumers. The characteristics of Trypanosoma cruzi and the clinical effects of the disease are covered, including documented outbreaks, regional patterns, and epidemiology. The various tra…
This book discusses the extremophiles explored for biosynthesis of nanoparticles. Nanotechnology is a widely emerging field involving interdisciplinary subjects such as biology, physics, chemistry and medicine. A wide variety of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi and algae are employed as biological agents for the synthesis of nanoparticles. Novel routes by which extremophiles can be emplo…
Extremophiles are known to thrive under harsh environmental conditions. Many extremophilic bio-products are already used as life-saving drugs. Recent technological advancements of systems biology have opened the door to explore these organisms anew as sources of products that might prove useful in clinical, environmental and drug development.
The Advances in Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Public Health Series will provide microbiologists, hygienists, epidemiologists and infectious diseases specialists with well-chosen contributed volumes containing updated information in the areas of basic and applied microbiology involving relevant issues for public health, including bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections, zoonoses and a…
This Series will provide microbiologists, hygienists, epidemiologists and infectious diseases specialists with well-chosen contributed volumes containing updated information in the areas of basic and applied microbiology involving relevant issues for public health, including bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections, zoonoses and anthropozoonoses, environmental and food microbiology. The in…
The Series will provide microbiologists, hygienists, epidemiologists and infectious diseases specialists with well-chosen contributed volumes containing updated information in the areas of basic and applied microbiology involving relevant issues for public health, including bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections, zoonosis and anthropozoonosis, environmental and food microbiology. The inc…
This Brief focuses on Listeria monocytogenes, from isolation methods and characterization (including whole genome sequencing), to manipulation and control. Listeriosis, a foodborne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes is a major concern for public health authorities. In addition, addressing issues relating to L. monocytogenes is a major economic burden on industry. Awareness of its ubiquito…
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder caused by antiphospholipid antibodies. It was characterized by excessive clotting of blood and/or certain complications of pregnancy (premature miscarriages, unexplained fetal death, or premature birth) and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (such as anti-cardiolipin antibodies or lupus anticoagulant) in the blood. Fifty percent…
Welcome to the wonderful world of microbiology! Yay! So. What is microbiology? If we break the word down it translates to “the study of small life,” where the small life refers to microorganisms or microbes. But who are the microbes? And how small are they? Generally microbes can be divided in to two categories: the cellular microbes (or organisms) and the acellular microbes (or agents). In…