The aim of this book is to disseminate the most recent research in science and technology against microbial pathogens presented at the first edition of the ICAR Conference Series (ICAR2010) held in Valladolid, Spain, in November 2010. This volume is a compilation of 86 chapters written by active researchers that offer information and experiences and afford critical insights into anti-microbe strategies in a general context marked by the threat posed by the increasing antimicrobial resistance of pathogenic microorganisms. "Anti" is here taken in a wide sense as "against cell cycle, adhesion, or communication," and when harmful for the human health (infectious diseases, chemotherapy etc.) and industry or economy (food, agriculture, water systems etc.) The book examines this interesting subject area from antimicrobial resistance (superbugs, emerging and re-emerging pathogens etc.), to the use of natural products or microbes against microbial pathogens, not forgetting antimicrobial chemistry, physics and material science. Readers will find in a single volume, up-to-date information of the current knowledge in antimicrobial research. The book is recommended for researchers from a broad range of academic disciplines that are contributing in the battle against harmful microorganisms, not only those more traditionally involved in this research area (microbiologists, biochemists, geneticists, clinicians etc.), but also experimental and theoretical/computational chemists, physicists or engineers.

Antimicrobial susceptibility profile and effect of stem bark extracts of Curtisia dentata on multi-drug resistant verotoxic Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter spp. isolates obtained from water and wastewater samples / Hamuel James Doughari [und weitere]. Antimicrobial utilization in intensive care units of a private tertiary care hospital / Pramil Tiwari, Vani Yadav and Shilpi Singh. Bacterial clearance from blood in mice infected by S. pneumoniae (penicillin MIC = 16 ug/ml) presenting specific IgG (non-protective levels) and treated with sub-therapeutic regimens of cefditoren (a highly bound cephalosporin) / Fabio Cafini [und weitere]. Characterisation of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from hospitalised patients / Vladimir Kmet, Daniela Ohlasova and Milan Niks. Characterization of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci isolates from blood cultures in a Brazilian University Hospital / Valeria Cataneli Pereira and Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro de Souza da Cunha. Control of bacterial contamination in boar semen doses / J.M. Morrell and Margareta Wallgren. Diffusion of extended-spectrum B-lactamase producing Enterobacter cloacae in a kidney transplantation unit / S. Hammami [und weitere]. Effect of antifungal agents on non-Candida albicans Candida species enzymatic activity / M. Negri [und weitere]. Effect of chitosan, nisin and storage time on the growth of Listeria innocua and Shewanella putrefaciens in fish homogenates / L.I. Schelegueda, M.F. Gliemmo and C.A. Campos. ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in the northern Portugal - antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular epidemiology / R. Fernandes and C. Prudencio. Observations on the antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius following the introduction of cefovecin for clinical use in Europe / Y. Chaudhry, A. Robinson and K.S. Godinho. Oxacillin resistance among Staphylococcus aureus isolated from peritoneal dialysis related peritonitis / C.H. Camargo [und weitere]. Resistance detection and susceptibility profile in Staphylococcus spp. isolated from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) / Adriano Martison Ferreira [und weitere]. Resistance distribution profile of MBL, ESBL and multidrug resistant Gram negatives isolated at a tertiary care hospital in India / K.H. Bhutada and V.R. Shende

Infectious diseases are a global hazard that puts every nation and every person at risk. The recent SARS outbreak is a prime example. Knowing neither geographic nor political borders, often arriving silently and lethally, microbial pathogens constitute a grave threat to the health of humans. Indeed, a majority of countries recently identified the spread of infectious disease as the greatest global problem they confront. Throughout history, humans have struggled to control both the causes and consequences of infectious diseases and we will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Following up on a high-profile 1992 report from the Institute of Medicine, Microbial Threats to Health examines the current state of knowledge and policy pertaining to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases from around the globe. It examines the spectrum of microbial threats, factors in disease emergence, and the ultimate capacity of the United States to meet the challenges posed by microbial threats to human health. From the impact of war or technology on disease emergence to the development of enhanced disease surveillance and vaccine strategies, Microbial Threats to Health contains valuable information for researchers, students, health care providers, policymakers, public health officials. and the interested public.

Recent Trends in Biofilm Science and Technology helps researchers working on fundamental aspects of biofilm formation and control conduct biofilm studies and interpret results. The book provides a remarkable amount of knowledge on the processes that regulate biofilm formation, the methods used, monitoring characterization and mathematical modeling, the problems/advantages caused by their presence in the food industry, environment and medical fields, and the current and emergent strategies for their control. Research on biofilms has progressed rapidly in the last decade due to the fact that biofilms have required the development of new analytical tools and new collaborations between biologists, engineers and mathematicians. - Presents an overview of the process of biofilm formation and its implications - Provides a clearer understanding of the role of biofilms in infections - Creates a foundation for further research on novel control strategies - Updates readers on the remarkable amount of knowledge on the processes that regulate biofilm formation

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.

This book focuses on successful application of microbial biotechnology in areas such as medicine, agriculture, environment and human health.

Examining the enormous potential of microbiome manipulation to improve health Associations between the composition of the intestinal microbiome and many human diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and cancer, have been elegantly described in the past decade. Now, whole-genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and precision gene-editing techniques are being combined with centuries-old therapies, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, to translate current research into new diagnostics and therapeutics to treat complex diseases. Bugs as Drugs provides a much-needed overview of microbes in therapies and will serve as an excellent resource for scientists and clinicians as they carry out research and clinical studies on investigating the roles the microbiota plays in health and disease. In Bugs as Drugs, editors Robert A. Britton and Patrice D. Cani have assembled a fascinating collection of reviews that chart the history, current efforts, and future prospects of using microorganisms to fight disease and improve health. Sections cover traditional uses of probiotics, next-generation microbial therapeutics, controlling infectious diseases, and indirect strategies for manipulating the host microbiome. Topics presented include: How well-established probiotics support and improve host health by improving the composition of the intestinal microbiota of the host and by modulating the host immune response. The use of gene editing and recombinant DNA techniques to create tailored probiotics and to characterize next-generation beneficial microbes. For example, engineering that improves the anti-inflammatory profile of probiotics can reduce the number of colonic polyps formed, and lactobacilli can be transformed into targeted delivery systems carrying therapeutic proteins or bioengineered bacteriophage. The association of specific microbiota composition with colorectal cancer, liver diseases, osteoporosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The gut microbiota has been proposed to serve as an organ involved in regulation of inflammation, immune function, and energy homeostasis. Fecal microbiota transplantation as a promising treatment for numerous diseases beyond C. difficile infection. Practical considerations for using fecal microbiota transplantation are provided, while it is acknowledged that more high-quality evidence is needed to ascertain the importance of strain specificity in positive treatment outcomes. Because systems biology approaches and synthetic engineering of microbes are now high-throughput and cost-effective, a much wider range of therapeutic possibilities can be explored and vetted. If you are looking for online access to the latest clinical microbiology content, please visit www.wiley.com/learn/clinmicronow.