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Current topics in microbiology and immunology: T cell paradigms in parasitic and bacterial infections Vol. 155
Parasitology Today, vol. 7, no. 5, 1991
128
on the disruption of chitin synthesis, although prostaglandins and ecdysteroid analogues are mentioned. For me, the most interesting chapters were the five that focused on the endocrine system, the induction of plant resistance, proinsecticides, plant-based products for insect control and insecticides from microorganisms. These sections covered not only the expected aspects that have been reviewed previously, but were forward-looking in terms of new systems to be exploited. The chapter on spider toxins as lead structures for novel pesticides introduced an intriguing idea but much of the impact is lost in a lengthy treatise on the
Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology: T Cell Paradigms in Parasitic and Bacterial Infections Vol. 155 edited byS.H.E. Kaufmann, Springer-Verlag, 1990. DM 116.00 (160 pages) ISBN3540515151 The understanding of the function of T cells and knowledge of the antigens they recognize are necessary prerequisites for the rational development of new vaccines. Therefore, this particular volume of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology is a timely one. As the editor, Stefan Kaufmann, emphasizes in his introduction, "effective vaccination against diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis and leprosy will not be achieved before we thoroughly understand the complex relationship between host and predators". The I I individual contributors to this volume deal with T-cell-controlled effector mechanisms of immunity and the heterogeneity of T-cell responses that may lead to either protection or pathology and autoimmunity in various infections with eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. Also discussed in more general terms are the current approaches for selecting antigens to stimulate effective T-cell responses and the possible uses of BCG as a vehicle for the administration of recombinant vaccines. Much of the new knowledge about T-cell subpopulations, namely THI and TH2 cells and 7/8-receptor-bearing T cells is integrated into discussions of effector mechanisms and immunoregu-
biology of some thirty families of spiders, coupled with descriptions of toxin extraction and purification. This book covers a large spectrum of work and different aspects will appeal to different workers; the extensive bibliographies will be extremely valuable. Many authors stress that their reviews are meant to stimulate further research into safer compounds. Yet it seems that progress is not being held up by an absence of new ideas, but rather by the lack of funds to complete existing work. While I found much interesting and stimulating material in the reviews, I was disappointed that none of the papers considered ideas on the restriction of
insecticide exposure by using traps. Furthermore, there was a noticeable absence of information on both sub-lethal effects and chemosterilants. The authors omitted scale lines or magnifications on the figures and there are spelling errors. Finally, the overall presentation of the book is poor. In the age of word processors and desk-top publishing it would not have been difficult to make the work look more appealing.
lation and thus valuable information is given. The contributing authors are well recognized in their respective fields and each contribution is informative and well written. For the investigator wanting an update in his particular field of interest, these articles are worthwhile reading. However, this volume represents a collection of independent articles and is not an overall survey of T-cell mechanisms of immunity to infection. There is little synthesis of ideas between the different authors. Indeed, some authors review almost entirely only their own work. Therefore, for people outside the field it makes assimilation of the different information difficult. For example, in the articles dealing with experimental schistosomiasis there are very clear accounts of protective immune response but the models described are often in different chapters and the respective conclusions drawn about the mechanisms of protection are also different. This volume would have been an excellent forum in which to discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of the models and their application to the development of vaccines. If the word 'paradigm' in the title is meant to imply patterns rather than just examples of T-cell responses, the book could perhaps have been structured otherwise. The division of the first three sections into Schistosoma, protozoa and mycobacteria does not fit any pattern, since the immunology of some of the protozoan infections, such as leishmaniasis, would be better discussed together with mycobacteria. The patterns of infection, pathogenesis and T-cell responses have more in common with each other than, for example, leishmaniasis and malaria do. Some general principles of appropriate effector mech-
anisms against intracellular pathogens might then become more evident. The placing of the chapter on 'T Cell, Stress Proteins and Pathogenesis of Mycobacterial Infections' in a separate section from that on 'Antigen Reactivity and Autoreactivity: Two Sides of the Cellular Immune Response Induced by Mycobacteria' is also a little puzzling. Although different T cells may be involved in recognizing a variety of determinants, the concepts are similar and some overall picture can be drawn. These points should not detract from the general usefulness of such a collection of articles. They raise several important issues in the study of the immunology of infectious disease and give the state of the art in their respective fields.
LesStrong Department of Zoology Woodland Road The University Bristol BS8 I UG, LJK
Jean Langhorne Max-Planck-lnstitut f(ir Immunbiologie St~beweg 5 I Postfach tl 69 D-7800 Freiburg-Z~hringen, FRG
Books Received Anon. Health Educationin the Controlof SchistosomiasisWorld Health Organization, 1990. Sw, fr. I 1.00(61 pages)ISBN 92 4 154407 4 Anon. Controlof the LeishmaniasesWorld Health Organization, 1990. Sw.fr. 18.00( 158 pages) ISBN 92 4 120793 0 Anon. PracticalChemotherapyof Malaria World Health Organization, 1990. Sw.fr. 16.00(158 pages)ISBN 92 4 120805 8 A.S. Peregrine (ed.) Chemotherapyfar Trypanosomiasis:Proceedingsof a WorkshopHeld at ILRAD,Nairobi,Kenya,21-24 August 1989.The International Laboratory for Researchon Animal Diseases, 1990.(xvi + 177 pages) ISBN 92 9055 291 3 I.H. Davidson SandfliesafAfrica Sauthof the Sahara The Natal Witness Printing and Publishing Company. 1990. R 35 (75 pages) ISBN I 874813 01 9
128
on the disruption of chitin synthesis, although prostaglandins and ecdysteroid analogues are mentioned. For me, the most interesting chapters were the five that focused on the endocrine system, the induction of plant resistance, proinsecticides, plant-based products for insect control and insecticides from microorganisms. These sections covered not only the expected aspects that have been reviewed previously, but were forward-looking in terms of new systems to be exploited. The chapter on spider toxins as lead structures for novel pesticides introduced an intriguing idea but much of the impact is lost in a lengthy treatise on the
Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology: T Cell Paradigms in Parasitic and Bacterial Infections Vol. 155 edited byS.H.E. Kaufmann, Springer-Verlag, 1990. DM 116.00 (160 pages) ISBN3540515151 The understanding of the function of T cells and knowledge of the antigens they recognize are necessary prerequisites for the rational development of new vaccines. Therefore, this particular volume of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology is a timely one. As the editor, Stefan Kaufmann, emphasizes in his introduction, "effective vaccination against diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis and leprosy will not be achieved before we thoroughly understand the complex relationship between host and predators". The I I individual contributors to this volume deal with T-cell-controlled effector mechanisms of immunity and the heterogeneity of T-cell responses that may lead to either protection or pathology and autoimmunity in various infections with eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. Also discussed in more general terms are the current approaches for selecting antigens to stimulate effective T-cell responses and the possible uses of BCG as a vehicle for the administration of recombinant vaccines. Much of the new knowledge about T-cell subpopulations, namely THI and TH2 cells and 7/8-receptor-bearing T cells is integrated into discussions of effector mechanisms and immunoregu-
biology of some thirty families of spiders, coupled with descriptions of toxin extraction and purification. This book covers a large spectrum of work and different aspects will appeal to different workers; the extensive bibliographies will be extremely valuable. Many authors stress that their reviews are meant to stimulate further research into safer compounds. Yet it seems that progress is not being held up by an absence of new ideas, but rather by the lack of funds to complete existing work. While I found much interesting and stimulating material in the reviews, I was disappointed that none of the papers considered ideas on the restriction of
insecticide exposure by using traps. Furthermore, there was a noticeable absence of information on both sub-lethal effects and chemosterilants. The authors omitted scale lines or magnifications on the figures and there are spelling errors. Finally, the overall presentation of the book is poor. In the age of word processors and desk-top publishing it would not have been difficult to make the work look more appealing.
lation and thus valuable information is given. The contributing authors are well recognized in their respective fields and each contribution is informative and well written. For the investigator wanting an update in his particular field of interest, these articles are worthwhile reading. However, this volume represents a collection of independent articles and is not an overall survey of T-cell mechanisms of immunity to infection. There is little synthesis of ideas between the different authors. Indeed, some authors review almost entirely only their own work. Therefore, for people outside the field it makes assimilation of the different information difficult. For example, in the articles dealing with experimental schistosomiasis there are very clear accounts of protective immune response but the models described are often in different chapters and the respective conclusions drawn about the mechanisms of protection are also different. This volume would have been an excellent forum in which to discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of the models and their application to the development of vaccines. If the word 'paradigm' in the title is meant to imply patterns rather than just examples of T-cell responses, the book could perhaps have been structured otherwise. The division of the first three sections into Schistosoma, protozoa and mycobacteria does not fit any pattern, since the immunology of some of the protozoan infections, such as leishmaniasis, would be better discussed together with mycobacteria. The patterns of infection, pathogenesis and T-cell responses have more in common with each other than, for example, leishmaniasis and malaria do. Some general principles of appropriate effector mech-
anisms against intracellular pathogens might then become more evident. The placing of the chapter on 'T Cell, Stress Proteins and Pathogenesis of Mycobacterial Infections' in a separate section from that on 'Antigen Reactivity and Autoreactivity: Two Sides of the Cellular Immune Response Induced by Mycobacteria' is also a little puzzling. Although different T cells may be involved in recognizing a variety of determinants, the concepts are similar and some overall picture can be drawn. These points should not detract from the general usefulness of such a collection of articles. They raise several important issues in the study of the immunology of infectious disease and give the state of the art in their respective fields.
LesStrong Department of Zoology Woodland Road The University Bristol BS8 I UG, LJK
Jean Langhorne Max-Planck-lnstitut f(ir Immunbiologie St~beweg 5 I Postfach tl 69 D-7800 Freiburg-Z~hringen, FRG
Books Received Anon. Health Educationin the Controlof SchistosomiasisWorld Health Organization, 1990. Sw, fr. I 1.00(61 pages)ISBN 92 4 154407 4 Anon. Controlof the LeishmaniasesWorld Health Organization, 1990. Sw.fr. 18.00( 158 pages) ISBN 92 4 120793 0 Anon. PracticalChemotherapyof Malaria World Health Organization, 1990. Sw.fr. 16.00(158 pages)ISBN 92 4 120805 8 A.S. Peregrine (ed.) Chemotherapyfar Trypanosomiasis:Proceedingsof a WorkshopHeld at ILRAD,Nairobi,Kenya,21-24 August 1989.The International Laboratory for Researchon Animal Diseases, 1990.(xvi + 177 pages) ISBN 92 9055 291 3 I.H. Davidson SandfliesafAfrica Sauthof the Sahara The Natal Witness Printing and Publishing Company. 1990. R 35 (75 pages) ISBN I 874813 01 9