Over the past 50 years a wide variety of antibacterial substances have been discovered and synthesised, and their use in treating bacterial infection has been spectacularly successful. Today there are several general classes of antibacterial drugs, each having a well established set of uses, and together they form the mainstay of modern antibacterial chemotherapy. In search for new and improved agents, the pharmaceutical researcher needs to be well informed on many topics, including existing agents, their modes of action and pharmacology, and possible synthetic approaches. In this new book the author has brought together a wide range of information on the principal classes of antibacterial agents, and he covers, for each group, their history, mode of action, key structural features, synthesis and bacterial resistance. The result is a compact and concise overview of these very important classes of antibacterial agents.

Antimicrobial agents are essential for the treatment of life-threatening infections and for managing the burden of minor infections in the community. In addition, they play a key role in organ and bone marrow transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, artificial joint and heart valve surgery. Unlike other classes of medicines, they are vulnerable to resistance from mutations in target microorganisms, and their adverse effects may extend to other patients (increased risk of cross-infection). As a consequence, there is a constant requirement for new agents, as well as practices that ensure the continued effective prescribing of licensed agents. Public awareness and concerns about drug resistant organisms has led to widespread publicity and political action in the UK, Europe and worldwide. The control of drug resistance and the implementation of good prescribing practice are now legal requirements in the UK as a result of the UK Health Act (2008). These fundamental changes underscore the need for a thorough understanding of the advantages and risks associated with specific antibiotic choices. This sixth edition of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy continues to be a valuable resource for undergraduates and graduates requiring a thorough grounding in the scientific basis and clinical application of these drugs. This new edition is updated to include the most recently licensed agents, notably in the treatment of viral infections including HIV/AIDS, and contains new guidance on prescribing practice and infection control practices that limit the development and spread of resistant organisms.

Biofilms in Infection and Disease Control: A Healthcare Handbook outlines the scientific evidence and rationale for the prevention of infection, the role biofilms play in infection control, and the issues concerning their resistance to antimicrobials. This book provides practical guidance for healthcare and infection control professionals, as well as students, for preventing and controlling infection. Biofilms are the most common mode of bacterial growth in nature. Highly resistant to antibiotics and antimicrobials, biofilms are the source of more than 65 percent of health care associated infections (HCAI), which, according to the WHO, affect 1.4 million people annually. Biofilms are involved in 80 percent of all microbial infections in the body, including those associated with medical devices such as catheters, endotracheal tubes, joint prostheses, and heart valves. Biofilms are also the principle causes of infections of the middle-ear, dental caries, gingivitis, prostatitis and cystic fibrosis. Importantly, biofilms also significantly delay wound healing and reduce antimicrobial efficiency in at-risk or infected skin wounds. - Provides specific procedures for controlling and preventing infection - Includes case studies of HCAI, and identifies appropriate treatments - Presents national government standards for infection prevention and control - Includes extensive references and links to websites for further information

Completely revised and updated Pharmaceutical Microbiologycontinues to provide the essential resource for the 21st centurypharmaceutical microbiologist "....a valuable resource for junior pharmacists graspingan appreciation of microbiology, microbiologists entering thepharmaceutical field, and undergraduate pharmacy students." Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy ".....highly readable. The content is comprehensive, withwell-produced tables, diagrams and photographs, and is accessiblethrough the extensive index." Journal of Medical Microbiology WHY BUY THIS BOOK? Completely revised and updated to reflect the rapid pace ofchange in the teaching and practice of pharmaceuticalmicrobiology Expanded coverage of modern biotechnology, including genomicsand recombinant DNA technology Updated information on newer antimicrobial agents and theirmode of action Highly illustrated with structural formulas of organiccompounds and flow diagrams of biochemical processes

Antibacterial agents act against bacterial infection either by killing the bacterium or by arresting its growth. They do this by targeting bacterial DNA and its associated processes, attacking bacterial metabolic processes including protein synthesis, or interfering with bacterial cell wall synthesis and function. Antibacterial Agents is an essential guide to this important class of chemotherapeutic drugs. Compounds are organised according to their target, which helps the reader understand the mechanism of action of these drugs and how resistance can arise. The book uses an integrated “lab-to-clinic” approach which covers drug discovery, source or synthesis, mode of action, mechanisms of resistance, clinical aspects (including links to current guidelines, significant drug interactions, cautions and contraindications), prodrugs and future improvements. Agents covered include: agents targeting DNA - quinolone, rifamycin, and nitroimidazole antibacterial agents agents targeting metabolic processes - sulfonamide antibacterial agents and trimethoprim agents targeting protein synthesis - aminoglycoside, macrolide and tetracycline antibiotics, chloramphenicol, and oxazolidinones agents targeting cell wall synthesis - β-Lactam and glycopeptide antibiotics, cycloserine, isonaizid, and daptomycin Antibacterial Agents will find a place on the bookshelves of students of pharmacy, pharmacology, pharmaceutical sciences, drug design/discovery, and medicinal chemistry, and as a bench reference for pharmacists and pharmaceutical researchers in academia and industry.

Well-respected and widely regarded as the most comprehensive text in the field, Antibiotic and Chemotherapy, 9th Edition by Drs. Finch, Greenwood, Whitley, and Norrby, provides globally relevant coverage of all types of antimicrobial agents used in human medicine, including all antiviral, antiprotozoan and anthelminthic agents. Comprehensively updated to include new FDA and EMEA regulations, this edition keeps you current with brand-new information about antiretroviral agents and HIV, superficial and mucocutaneous myscoses and systemic infections, management of the immunocompromised patient, treatment of antimicrobial resistance, plus coverage of new anti-sepsis agents and host/microbe modulators. Reference is easy thanks to a unique 3-part structure covering general aspects of treatment; reviews of every agent; and details of treatments of particular infections. Offer the best possible care and information to your patients about the increasing problem of multi-drug resistance and the wide range of new antiviral therapies now available for the treatment of HIV and other viral infections. Stay current with 21 new chapters including the latest information on superficial and mucocutaneous mycoses, systemic infections, anti-retroviral agents, and HIV. Get fresh perspectives and insights thanks to 21 newly-authored and extensively re-written chapters. Easily access information thanks to a unique 3-part structure covering general aspects of treatment; reviews of every agent; and details of treatments of particular infections. Apply the latest treatments for anti-microbial organisms such as MRSA, and multi-drug resistant forms of TB, malaria and gonorrhea. Keep up on the latest FDA and EMEA regulations.

Humans coexist with millions of harmless microorganisms, but emerging diseases, resistance to antibiotics, and the threat of bioterrorism are forcing scientists to look for new ways to confront the microbes that do pose a danger. This report identifies innovative approaches to the development of antimicrobial drugs and vaccines based on a greater understanding of how the human immune system interacts with both good and bad microbes. The report concludes that the development of a single superdrug to fight all infectious agents is unrealistic.