Tuberculosis continues to kills more people than any other single infective agent. The resurgence of the disease in many countries has produced a heightened awareness of the threat posed by mycobacterial infections. At the same time, there has been an explosion of knowledge of the fundamental properties of mycobacteria, most notably the determination of the complete genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

This book provides an up-to-date account of these developments in the molecular biology and immunology of mycobacteria, coupled with allied advances of a more applied nature, such as the use of molecular techniques for diagnosis and epidemiological investigations. With chapters contributed from an international team of experts, it will not only be an essential reference text for the expanding mycobacterial research community, but also will find a prominent place on the shelves of clinicians, infectious disease and public health specialists, diagnostic laboratories, postgraduate students and indeed anyone concerned with the management and investigation of outbreaks of tuberculosis.

• Comprehensively covers recent advances in the molecular biology of the mycobacteria.
  
• First book to be published on this subject since the publishing of the complete genome for the tubercle bacillus (M. tuberculosis).
  
• Coincides with a worldwide resurgence of tuberculosis.

Content:
Chapter 1 Recombination (pages 1–16): Graham R. Stewart and Johnjoe McFadden
Chapter 2 Mobile Genetic Elements and Plasmids: Tools for Genetic Studies (pages 17–37): Christophe Guilhot, Mary Jackson and Brigitte Gicquel
Chapter 3 Mycobacteriophages (pages 38–58): Graham F. Hatfull
Chapter 4 Gene Expression and Regulation (pages 59–92): Juliano Timm, Manuel Gomez and Issar Smith
Chapter 5 Genomics of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Mycobacterium Leprae (pages 93–109): Stephen V. Gordon, Karin Eiglmeier, Roland Brosch, Thierry Garnier, Nadine Honore, Bart G. Barrell and Stewart T. Cole
Chapter 6 Molecular Epidemiology: Human Tuberculosis (pages 110–122): Paul van Helden
Chapter 7 Molecular Epidemiology: Mycobacterium Bovis (pages 123–135): Desmond M. Collins
Chapter 8 Molecular Epidemiology: Other Mycobacteria (pages 136–160): Joseph O. Falkinham
Chapter 9 Molecular Diagnostics (pages 161–179): Kathleen D. Eisenach
Chapter 10 Immunodiagnosis of Mycobacterial Infection (pages 180–197): Graham H. Bothamley, David Catty, Richard Clifton?Hadley, Frank Griffin, Glyn Hewinson and John Pollock
Chapter 11 Mycobacterial Growth and Dormancy (pages 198–219): M. Joseph Colston and Robert A. Cox
Chapter 12 Cell Wall: Physical Structure and Permeability (pages 220–239): Jun Liu, Clifton E. Barry and Hiroshi Nikaido
Chapter 13 The Cell?Wall Core of Mycobacterium: Structure, Biogenesis and Genetics (pages 240–259): Alain R. Baulard, Gurdyal S. Besra and Patrick J. Brennan
Chapter 14 Iron Metabolism (pages 260–286): Colin Ratledge
Chapter 15 Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance in Mycobacteria (pages 287–306): Vera Webb and Julian Davies
Chapter 16 Immunotherapy for Mycobacterial Diseases (pages 307–334): John L. Stanford and Graham A. W. Rook
Chapter 17 Vaccines (pages 335–355): Douglas B. Lowrie
Chapter 18 Mycobacterial Antigens (pages 356–370): Jelle Thole, Riny Janssen and Douglas Young
Chapter 19 Mycobacterium and the Seduction of the Macrophage (pages 371–388): David G. Russell
Chapter 20 Cytokines in Immunity to Tuberculosis (pages 389–397): Andrea M. Cooper and Ian M. Orme