BookAndreas Burkovski, editor.
Summary: Corynebacterium diphtheriae is the classical etiological agent of diphtheria and the type strain of the genus Corynebacterium. While diphtheria of the respiratory tract became rare with the introduction of vaccination programs in industrialized countries, even today several thousand cases per year are reported to the World Health Organization. This shows that diphtheria is not completely eradicated and that reservoirs exist. The book summarizes the latest advances made in understanding C. diphtheriae and the closely related species Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Topics addressed are genomics of toxigenic corynebacteria, host-pathogen-interaction, detection, surveillance and treatment as well as application aspects.
Contents:
Diphheria and its etiological agents
Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
general aspects
Comparative genomics and pathogenicity islands of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Corynephages : infections of the infectors
toxin structure, delivery and action
Iron acquisition and iron-dependent gene expression in Corynebacterium diphtheria
Assembly and function of Corynebacterium diphtheria
Toxigenic Corynebacteria : adhesion, invasion and host response
Detection methods for laboratory diagnosis of Diphtheria
Diphtheria surveillance
History of diphtheria vaccine development
Antimicrobial susceptibility and treatment
Sialidases of Corynebacteria and their biotechnological application
Molecular genetic tools for research in Corynebacterium diphtheria
Diphtheria toxin based molecules as therapeutic approaches.