Many bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi play key roles in the development of gastrointestinal diseases, and this practical reference brings you up to speed with this increasingly important area. Covering a broad range of GI diseases and cancers, this resource provides an expert overview of the field, ideal for all gastroenterologists and infectious disease physicians. - Covers infections associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus, gallbladder disease, acute pancreatitis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, appendicitis, Whipple Disease, Crohn's Disease, and more. - Discusses esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and colorectal cancer. - Includes chapters on gut microbiome, fecal transplants, and the molecular pathgenesis of gastrointestinal infections. - Consolidates today's available information on this timely topic into a single convenient resource.

This open access book deals with imaging of the abdomen and pelvis, an area that has seen considerable advances over the past several years, driven by clinical as well as technological developments. The respective chapters, written by internationally respected experts in their fields, focus on imaging diagnosis and interventional therapies in abdominal and pelvic disease; they cover all relevant imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and positron emission tomography. As such, the book offers a comprehensive review of the state of the art in imaging of the abdomen and pelvis. It will be of interest to general radiologists, radiology residents, interventional radiologists, and clinicians from other specialties who want to update their knowledge in this area.

The Oxford Textbook of Medical Mycology is a comprehensive reference text which brings together the science and medicine of human fungal disease. Written by a leading group of international authors to bring a global expertise, it is divided into sections that deal with the principles of mycology, the organisms, a systems based approach to management, fungal disease in specific patient groups, diagnosis, and treatment. The detailed clinical chapters take account of recent international guidelines on the management of fungal disease. With chapters covering recent developments in taxonomy, fungal genetics and other 'omics', epidemiology, pathogenesis, and immunology, this textbook is well suited to aid both scientists and clinicians. The extensive illustrations, tables, and in-depth coverage of topics, including discussion of the non-infective aspects of allergic and toxin mediated fungal disease, are designed to aid the understanding of mechanisms and pathology, and extend the usual approach to fungal disease. This textbook is essential reading for microbiologists, research scientists, infectious diseases clinicians, respiratory physicians, and those managing immunocompromised patients. Part of the Oxford Textbook in Infectious Disease and Microbiology series, it is also a useful companion text for students and trainees looking to supplement mycology courses and microbiology training.

The quality of water, whether it is used for drinking, irrigation or recreational purposes, is significant for health in both developing and developed countries worldwide. This book is based on a programme of work undertaken by an international group of experts during 1999-2001. The aim was to develop a harmonised framework of effective and affordable guidelines and standards to improve the risk assessment and management of water-related microbial hazards. This book will be useful to all those concerned with issues relating to microbial water quality and health, including environmental and public health scientists, water scientists, policy makers and those responsible for developing standards and regulations.

Biological toxins are an important part of our world, a reality with which we need to cope, so in parallel with understanding their mechanisms of action and thereby improving our fundamental knowledge, there are successful efforts to utilize them as therapeutics against some debilitating human and animal diseases. In view of the complexity of different types of biotoxins and the broad range of toxin structure, physiology, utility, and countermeasures including regulatory issues, it was thus aimed to compile a book on biotoxins and bioweapons. This reference work in the Toxinology handbook series gathers together knowledge from around the globe about naturally inspired and manufactured biological weapons. The authors describe how they work; how authorities may detect their presence, prevent their use, and diagnose their impacts; and the means by which medical and paramedical professionals may treat victims. Also described are how they have been used to further our knowledge and what insights they have given us into evolutionary and physiological processes. Finally, it is also discussed how these toxins can be used as therapeutics and what the implications of such therapeutics are to their use as biothreat agents. This volume provides a reference accessible to scientists, educators, and medical experts alike with an interest in biotoxins, focusing on the major toxins used as bioweapons. Regulatory agencies will also benefit from the information provided in this book. Some in the intended audience may need to understand how they elicit their effects and how we can defend ourselves against them. Others may be interested in the sometimes colorful histories that surround this subset of biotoxins that can be and, in some cases, have been used as weapons.