Microbiology in Action

J. Heritage, E. G. V. Evans, R. A. Killington

Cambridge University Press, Jun 28, 1999 - Medical - 290 pages

Microbes play an important role in our everyday lives. As agents of infectious disease, they cause untold human misery, yet their beneficial activities are manifold, ranging from the natural cycling of chemical elements to the production of food and pharmaceuticals. In this introductory text, the authors provide a clear and accessible account of the interactions among microbes, their environments, and other organisms, citing examples of both beneficial and detrimental activities. The book begins by considering positive activities, focusing on environmental microbiology and manufacturing, and then moves on to consider some of the more adverse aspects of microbes, particularly the myriad diseases to which we are susceptible and the treatments currently in use. Microbiology in Action will prove to be a valuable text for those studying microbiology.

Contents

• The microbiology of soil and of nutrient cycling: 1
• 12 How are microbes involved in nutrient cycling?: 6
• 121 How is carbon cycled?: 8
• 123 How is sulphur cycled?: 13
• Plantmicrobe interactions: 16
• 22 What symbioses do cyanobacteria form?: 19
• 23 What symbioses do other nitrogenfixing bacteria form?: 21
• 24 From what infections do plants suffer?: 22
• 241 What plant diseases are caused by fungi?: 23
• 242 What plant diseases are caused by bacteria?: 28
• 243 What plant diseases are caused by viruses?: 29
• 25 How are microbes used to control agricultural pests?: 32
• The microbiology of drinking water: 36
• 312 Enteric fever: 38
• 313 Bacilliary dysentery: 39
• 314 Waterborne campylobacter infections: 40
• 315 Waterborne virus infections: 41
• 316 Waterborne protozoal diseases: 42
• 32 How is water examined to ensure that it is safe to drink?: 44
• 33 How is water purified to ensure that it is safe to drink?: 47
• 34 How is sewage treated to make it safe?: 50
• Microbial products: 54
• 41 How did microbes contribute to the First World War effort?: 55
• 42 What role do microbes play in the oil industry and in mining?: 56
• 43 How are microbial enzymes exploited?: 61
• 44 How do microbes help in the diagnosis of disease and related applications?: 63
• 45 How do microbes contribute to the pharmaceutical industry?: 66
• 46 How do microbes contribute to food technology?: 70
• Food microbiology: 73
• 53 How are microbes involved in bread and alcohol production?: 76
• 54 How are fermented vegetables and meats produced?: 79
• 542 Dill pickles: 80
• 543 Other fermented vegetable products: 81
• 546 Fermented dairy products: 82
• 55 What role do microbes have in food spoilage and preservation?: 86
• 552 How can food be preserved?: 88
• 56 What causes food poisoning?: 95
• 561 Chemical contamination of food: 96
• 562 Food poisoning associated with consumption of animal tissues: 97
• 563 Food poisoning associated with the consumption of plant material: 98
• 564 What are foodborne infections?: 99
• 565 What is bacterial food poisoning?: 101
• 567 What food poisoning is associated with bacterial infection?: 106
• 568 What is the role of fungal toxins in food poisoning?: 113
• 569 What viruses cause foodborne illness?: 116
• 5610 What are the predisposing factors in food poisoning incidents?: 117
• The human commensal flora: 119
• 62 What constitutes the commensal flora of the human skin?: 121
• 63 What constitutes the commensal flora of the human alimentary tract?: 122
• 64 What constitutes the commensal flora of the human upper respiratory tract?: 124
• 65 What constitutes the commensal flora of the human genital tract?: 125
• 67 What factors affect the human commensal flora?: 127
• 68 Do viruses form part of the human commensal flora?: 128
• Microbial infections: 130
• 72 What are urinary tract infections?: 139
• 721 What causes urinary tract infections?: 140
• 722 What are the symptoms of urinary tract infections?: 143
• 73 What causes sexually transmissible diseases?: 146
• 731 Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS: 148
• 732 Syphilis: 152
• 733 Gonorrhoea: 156
• 734 Nonspecific urethritis and other bacterial infections: 158
• 735 Candidosis thrush: 160
• 737 Genital herpes infections: 161
• 739 Pubic lice and scabies: 162
• 741 What causes meningitis?: 163
• 742 What causes encephalitis?: 169
• 743 What is rabies?: 171
• 744 What is progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy?: 172
• 746 What are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies?: 174
• 747 What causes brain abscesses?: 176
• 75 What causes infections of the circulatory system?: 177
• 751 A problem with terminology: 178
• 753 What causes septicaemia?: 180
• 755 How is septicaemia diagnosed in the diagnostic microbiology laboratory?: 183
• 756 What is endocarditis and how does it develop?: 185
• 76 What causes oral cavity and respiratory infections?: 187
• 763 What is periodontal disease?: 189
• 765 What is oral thrush?: 190
• 768 What causes sore throats and glandular fever?: 191
• 769 What causes tonsillitis?: 192
• 7610 What is mumps?: 193
• 7611 What is diphtheria?: 194
• 7612 What is acute epiglottitis?: 195
• 7613 What causes middle ear infections?: 196
• 7614 What are lower respiratory tract infections?: 197
• 7617 What is Legionnaires disease?: 201
• 7618 What is tuberculosis?: 202
• 7619 What causes whooping cough?: 204
• 7620 What is aspergillosis?: 205
• 77 What causes gastrointestinal infections?: 206
• 773 What viruses are associated with gastroenteritis?: 209
• 774 What causes hepatitis?: 210
• 775 What is peritonitis?: 212
• 78 What causes infections of skin bone and soft tissues?: 213
• 782 What viruses cause skin lesions?: 219
• 783 What causes eye infections?: 221
• 784 What animalassociated pathogens cause soft tissue infections?: 222
• 785 What infections affect bone and joints?: 226
• 79 What causes perinatal infections?: 227
• 710 What infections do fungi cause?: 230
• 7101 How are mycoses diagnosed in the laboratory?: 234
• 711 How do we recognise clinically important bacteria?: 237
• 7111 Grampositive cocci: 240
• 7112 Grampositive bacilli: 243
• 7113 Mycobacteria: 245
• Chemotherapy and antibiotic resistance: 249
• 81 What inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis?: 251
• 813 Bacitracin: 252
• 816 Isoniazid: 254
• 832 Quinolones: 255
• 85 Which antibacterial agents are inhibitors of protein synthesis?: 256
• 854 Macrolides: 257
• 856 Mupirocin: 258
• 862 Azoles: 259
• 864 Flucytosine: 260
• 871 Aciclovir and ganciclovir: 261
• 873 Ribavirin: 262
• Further reading: 267
• Glossary: 269
• Index: 281

Bibliographic information

• Title: Microbiology in Action; Institute of Biology: Studies in biology; Introductory Microbiology and Microbiology in Action 2 Volume Paperback Set; Studies in Biology
• Authors: J. Heritage, E. G. V. Evans, R. A. Killington
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1999
• ISBN: 0521629128, 9780521629126
• Length: 290 pages
• Subjects: Medical / Microbiology; Science / Biotechnology; Science / Life Sciences / Biology; Science / Life Sciences / Microbiology