- Email: [email protected]
Streptococci and the host
301
BOOKS RECEIVED
Vogt, P.K. & Mahan, M J . m Bacterial infection: close encounters at the host-pathogen interface (15 figures, 7 tables, extensive bibliography). Springer-Verlag.
Other reviews are devoted to Bacillus anthracis (Hanna), to staphylococcal and streptococcal superantigens (Rajo and Schlievert), and to transport mechanisms of ferric iron in Gram-negative bacteria.
Writing a concise work on the molecular pathogenesis of bacterial infections has become somewhat of a challenge in light of the growing mass of information available. This exercise is all the more hazardous when we realize that the size of the v o l u m e s in the series "Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology" is limited to 168 pages, including the index.
Don't misunderstand me: all of these reviews are of excellent quality, well documented and up to date. This is especially the case for the contributions on C. perfringens, B. anthracis and iron transport mechanisms. After all, these subjects are not frequently reviewed and the present update was indispensable.
The secret of success is therefore to find a coherent, unifying theme taking into account an up-to-date subject; for example, an exhaustive analysis of a pathogenltc bacterial genus, microbial a d h e r e n c e , cell invasion, toxins, the c e l l u l a r approach to pathogenic processes, etc. The editors have nearly succeeded in attaining that goal. Indeed, they might have met the challenge had they persisted along the lines of the first review entitled "In vivo gene expression, contributions to infection, virulence, and pathogenesis", by Connor, Heithoff et Mahan. The book would then have constituted a true reference work, with the help of examples taken from different pathogen models, on approaches used for identifying genes implicated in pathogenicity, in particular in cell models in vivo. This field is a gold mine of ideas and means of "attacking" pathogenic bacteria which are not easily accessible using classical genetic approaches. This was more or less the case for the chapter on Clostridium perfringens (McLane), that on mycobacteria (J. Clark-Curtiss) that dealing with Legionella pneumophila (Shuman et al.) and to some extent, the chapter on urinary infections (d'Orazio and Collins).
But once again, the book would have benefitted from a more precise objective and in that way, it would not have given the impression of being essentially a collection of reviews. Microbiologists, infectious disease specialists and immunologists interested in the scientific subjects treated should nevertheless find the relevant chapters to be of great interest. P. Sansonetti
Horaud, T., Bouvet, A., Leclercq, R., de Montclos, H. & Sicard, M. - - S;reptococci and the hos~. Plenum Press. This volume is a collection of papers presented at the XIIlth Lancefield International Symposium on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases held at the Institut Pasteur in September 1996. A total of 249 brief notes are included, reflecting the most recent data, with particular emphasis on streptococcal infection, bacteria/host interactions, epidemiology and molecular genetics. The introductory papers illustrate the progress made over the t~ast 100 years in the field of streptococci and their complications, epidemiological
302
BOOKS RECEIVED
aspects, methodologies in taxonomy and diagnosis, antibiotic resistance, bacterial, cellular and extracellular components, streptococci of the buccal cavity, pathogenic factors, animal models, vaccines, especially against Streptococcus pneumoniae and the Lancefield serological group B, immune responses in host defence and finally, genetic tools currently used in these studies. Nearly a century ago, puerperal fever was treated at the Institut Pasteur Hospital. With the arrival
of the sulphamides in 1935, rheumatic fever, glomerulonephitis and other streptococcal immunopathologies could at last be treated. Current resistance to certain streptococci, and especially to pneumococci, raises new problems; vaccination may represent one of the answers. The present volume is a perfect example of the current state of the art, and includes a useful index at the end. P. Meyer
BOOKS RECEIVED
Vogt, P.K. & Mahan, M J . m Bacterial infection: close encounters at the host-pathogen interface (15 figures, 7 tables, extensive bibliography). Springer-Verlag.
Other reviews are devoted to Bacillus anthracis (Hanna), to staphylococcal and streptococcal superantigens (Rajo and Schlievert), and to transport mechanisms of ferric iron in Gram-negative bacteria.
Writing a concise work on the molecular pathogenesis of bacterial infections has become somewhat of a challenge in light of the growing mass of information available. This exercise is all the more hazardous when we realize that the size of the v o l u m e s in the series "Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology" is limited to 168 pages, including the index.
Don't misunderstand me: all of these reviews are of excellent quality, well documented and up to date. This is especially the case for the contributions on C. perfringens, B. anthracis and iron transport mechanisms. After all, these subjects are not frequently reviewed and the present update was indispensable.
The secret of success is therefore to find a coherent, unifying theme taking into account an up-to-date subject; for example, an exhaustive analysis of a pathogenltc bacterial genus, microbial a d h e r e n c e , cell invasion, toxins, the c e l l u l a r approach to pathogenic processes, etc. The editors have nearly succeeded in attaining that goal. Indeed, they might have met the challenge had they persisted along the lines of the first review entitled "In vivo gene expression, contributions to infection, virulence, and pathogenesis", by Connor, Heithoff et Mahan. The book would then have constituted a true reference work, with the help of examples taken from different pathogen models, on approaches used for identifying genes implicated in pathogenicity, in particular in cell models in vivo. This field is a gold mine of ideas and means of "attacking" pathogenic bacteria which are not easily accessible using classical genetic approaches. This was more or less the case for the chapter on Clostridium perfringens (McLane), that on mycobacteria (J. Clark-Curtiss) that dealing with Legionella pneumophila (Shuman et al.) and to some extent, the chapter on urinary infections (d'Orazio and Collins).
But once again, the book would have benefitted from a more precise objective and in that way, it would not have given the impression of being essentially a collection of reviews. Microbiologists, infectious disease specialists and immunologists interested in the scientific subjects treated should nevertheless find the relevant chapters to be of great interest. P. Sansonetti
Horaud, T., Bouvet, A., Leclercq, R., de Montclos, H. & Sicard, M. - - S;reptococci and the hos~. Plenum Press. This volume is a collection of papers presented at the XIIlth Lancefield International Symposium on Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases held at the Institut Pasteur in September 1996. A total of 249 brief notes are included, reflecting the most recent data, with particular emphasis on streptococcal infection, bacteria/host interactions, epidemiology and molecular genetics. The introductory papers illustrate the progress made over the t~ast 100 years in the field of streptococci and their complications, epidemiological
302
BOOKS RECEIVED
aspects, methodologies in taxonomy and diagnosis, antibiotic resistance, bacterial, cellular and extracellular components, streptococci of the buccal cavity, pathogenic factors, animal models, vaccines, especially against Streptococcus pneumoniae and the Lancefield serological group B, immune responses in host defence and finally, genetic tools currently used in these studies. Nearly a century ago, puerperal fever was treated at the Institut Pasteur Hospital. With the arrival
of the sulphamides in 1935, rheumatic fever, glomerulonephitis and other streptococcal immunopathologies could at last be treated. Current resistance to certain streptococci, and especially to pneumococci, raises new problems; vaccination may represent one of the answers. The present volume is a perfect example of the current state of the art, and includes a useful index at the end. P. Meyer