Attachment to host cells or tissues is often the first step in the establishment of bacterial infections. A complex array of recognition, attachment, and virulence factors is involved in this process, which recent research has greatly illuminated. This comprehensive and authoritative volume discusses the specific cell and tissue-specific affinities of pathogenic microorganisms, including bioinorganic surfaces such as teeth, and is an essential reference for researchers and students of host-pathogen interactions.

Biofilms and Implantable Medical Devices: Infection and Control explores the increasing use of permanent and semi-permanent implants and indwelling medical devices. As an understanding of the growth and impact of biofilm formation on these medical devices and biomaterials is vital for protecting the health of the human host, this book provides readers with a comprehensive treatise on biofilms and their relationship with medical devices, also reporting on infections and associated strategies for prevention. - Provides useful information on the fundamentals of biofilm problems in medical devices - Discusses biofilm problems in a range of medical devices - Focuses on strategies for prevention of biofilm formation

It has been 80 years since the subject of bacterial adhesion to surfaces was first brought forth, but only in the last two decades has the importance of this subject been recognized by medical microbiologists. The fact that bacterial attachment to the host tissue is a prerequisite for infection understandably led to the hope that infections could be prevented by blocking the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria. Progress in this field has been so rapid that it has become difficult to keep up with recent developments. This book contains the proceedings of the symposium on the Molecular Mechanisms of Microbial Adhesion, May 6-8, 1988. Both the symposium and this book were intended as an up-to-date review of the most recent findings concerning the adhesion of medically important bacteria. In addition, this book contains critical and provocative overviews of the past, present and future of this field.

Study of the phenomena of bacterial adhesion to surfaces has accelerated considerably over the past 10 to 15 years. During this period, microbiologists have become increasingly aware that attachment to a substratum influences considerably the activities and structures of microbial cells. Moreover, in many cases attached communities of cells have important effects on their substratum and the surrounding environment. Such phenomena are now known to be important in plant and animal hosts, water and soil ecosystems, and man-made structures and industrial processes. Much work on microbial adhesion in the early 1970s was descriptive. Those studies were important for detecting and describing the phenomena of bacterial adhesion to substrata in various environments; the findings have been presented in numerous recently published, excellent books and reviews. In some studies, attempts were made to elucidate some funda mental principles controlling adhesion processes in different environments containing a variety of microorganisms. Common threads have been observed occasionally in different studies. Taken as a whole, however, the information has revealed that many disparate factors are involved in adhesion processes. Whether a particular microorganism can adhere to a certain substratum depends on the properties of the microbial strain itself and on charac teristics of the substratum and of the environment.

This book describes the major achievements and discoveries relevant to bacterial protein toxins since the turn of the new century illustrated by the discovery of more than fifty novel toxins (many of them identified through genome screening). The establishment of the three-dimensional crystal structure of more than 20 toxins during the same period offers deeper knowledge of structure-activity relationships and provides a framework to understand how toxins recognize receptors, penetrate membranes and interact with and modify intracellular substrates. - Edited by two of the most highly regarded experts in the field from the Institut Pasteur, France - 14 brand new chapters dedicated to coverage of historical and general aspects of toxinology - Includes the major toxins of both basic and clinical interest are described in depth - Details applied aspects of toxins such as therapy, vaccinology, and toolkits in cell biology - Evolutionary and functional aspects of bacterial toxins evaluated and summarized - Toxin applications in cell biology presented - Therapy (cancer therapy, dystonias) discussed - Vaccines (native and genetically engineered vaccines) featured - Toxins discussed as biological weapons, comprising chapters on anthrax, diphtheria, ricin etc.

This book explores the relationship between the surface roughness of artificial implants used for hard tissue replacement and their bacterial adhesion.

Introductory textbook describing the ways in which bacteria cause disease at the molecular and cellular level.

An examination of the research and translational application to prevent and treat biofilm-associated diseases In the decade since the first edition of Microbial Biofilms was published, the interest in this field has expanded, spurring breakthrough research that has advanced the treatment of biofilm-associated diseases. This second edition takes the reader on an exciting, extensive review of bacterial and fungal biofilms, ranging from basic molecular interactions to innovative therapies, with particular emphasis on the division of labor in biofilms, new approaches to combat the threat of microbial biofilms, and how biofilms evade the host defense. Chapters written by established investigators cover recent findings, and contributions from investigators new to the field provide unique and fresh insights. Specifically, Microbial Biofilms provides state-of-the-art research in the field of bacterial and fungal biofilms detailed descriptions of the in vitro and in vivo models available to evaluate microbial biofilms future areas of research and their translational and clinical applications Microbial Biofilms is a useful reference for researchers and clinicians. It will also provide insight in the dynamic field of microbial biofilms for graduate and postgraduate students.