This book is comprised of reviews on the chemotherapy of mycobacterial infections, as well as descriptions of established methods and new techniques for drug susceptibility testing. Some of the fascinating topics examined include the activity of conventional and experimental antimicrobial agents, the rationale of drug combinations in chemotherapy, pharmacokinetics, and the problems of drug susceptibility of mycobacteria analyzed using standards established in other fields of clinical microbiology. Any physician or researcher involved with the therapy of tuberculosis, leprosy, M. avium in AIDS patients and other mycobacterial infections, and drug susceptibility testing will discover a wealth of information in this comprehensive volume.

Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death globally, particularly among children and young adults. The spread of new pathogens and the threat of antimicrobial resistance pose particular challenges in combating these diseases. Major Infectious Diseases identifies feasible, cost-effective packages of interventions and strategies across delivery platforms to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, malaria, adult febrile illness, viral hepatitis, and neglected tropical diseases. The volume emphasizes the need to effectively address emerging antimicrobial resistance, strengthen health systems, and increase access to care. The attainable goals are to reduce incidence, develop innovative approaches, and optimize existing tools in resource-constrained settings.

A major objective of this open access book is to summarize the current status of Buruli Ulcer (BU) research for the first time. It will identify gaps in our knowledge, stimulate research and support control of the disease by providing insight into approaches for surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment of Buruli Ulcer. Book chapters will cover the history, epidemiology diagnosis, treatment and disease burden of BU and provide insight into the microbiology, genomics, transmission and virulence of Mycobacterium ulcerans.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the major infectious diseases of mankind although drugs for its treatment have been available for nearly 60 years. The standard short-course 6-month regimen used since about 1980 has helped to save millions of lives, but co-infection with HIV has had a devastating effect on the epidemic, and multidrug-resistant TB is a growing problem, particularly in communities with a high incidence of HIV. Following the declaration by the WHO in the early 1990s that TB was a 'global health emergency', interest in TB research and the development of new drugs has increased significantly. This volume reviews anti-TB chemotherapy with the emphasis on the actions and pharmacology of existing drugs and the development and evaluation of new agents. A close look is taken at new research regarding our existing drugs by some of the best-known specialists in the field, and historical aspects of these agents are reviewed from a modern perspective. The prospects for the introduction of new drugs and different approaches of how to assess them in adults and in children are discussed in detail. Several papers address the problems associated with drug resistance, its spread and diagnosis. Compiled by two editors from Cape Town, which has a particularly high incidence of TB and is a centre of tuberculosis research, this publication is an indispensable reference for anyone involved in the management of TB either as a researcher, clinician or administrator, and those working in drug development.

This book is a comprehensive and authoritative source on nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pathogens and diseases and their appropriate management, with a focus on lung disease. NTM diseases, especially lung diseases, are increasing in prevalence in the U.S. and internationally with concomitant growing interest in a broad section of the medical community. Often merely included in coverage of tuberculosis, many aspects of NTM organisms and diseases are actually very different than TB. These differences are not intuitive or trivial and frequently result in suboptimal management of NTM patients. This book addresses these gaps in the literature with chapters on microbiology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, the various diseases that can stem from NTM, and their particular management. There is also coverage on prevention and NTM as a public health problem. For pulmonologists and infectious disease physicians, this is the definitive resource on nontuberculous mycobacteria.

The emergence of extensively drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis, especially in countries with a high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus, is a serious threat to global public health and jeopardizes efforts to effectively control the disease. This publication offers updated recommendations for the diagnosis and management of drug-resistant tuberculosis in a variety of geographical, economic and social settings, and the recording of data that enables the monitoring and evaluation of programs.--Publisher's description.