Malaria and Babesiosis: Research Findings and Control Measures (New Perspectives in Clinical Microbiology)

Malaria and babesiosis. (New perspectives in clinical microbiology) Papers from the Second International Conference on Malaria and Babesiosis held in Annecy, France, Sept. 1983. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Malaria--Congresses. 2. Babesiosis--Congresses. If the organizers of the excellent symposium, on which this book is based, had wanted to devise an appropriate dramatic opening they could not have done better than to have the first speaker fail to appear because he was incarcerated in his high security isolation unit caring for a patient suffering from green monkey disease. In his consequently undelivered paper, now published in this book, he understandably dwells a little on the place (both philosophical and physical) of the laboratory in the investigation of highly transmissible infections and this subject characterizes the two themes that run through the chapters of this book: the relative roles of microbiologist and clinician in the investigation and management of infected patients, and the techniques, management and diseases most recently to come under scrutiny. In addition to some airing of the question (which some of us regard as pressing)as to what degree the microbiologist should be clinical and the clinician microbiological, there is welcome attention by the clinical haematologist and immunologist to humoral and cellular factors in infection that are acknowledged to be crucial but relative­ ly understudied. New looks at old diseases - urinary infections, urethritis and enteritis -and at an old drug, metronidazole, for new indications are all provided by authors who are at the advancing fronts of those sUbjects. The proceedings, completely updated and revised for this publication, seem to me to have been entirely successful in capturing the stimulation and enjoyment of the excellent and instructive symposium. R. VANFURTH Infection is an inseparable part of communal life, and infections are more common and more severe in hospital communi­ ties because the sick are more easily infected than the healthy. However, even though progress in the medical sciences has meant that many more patients suftering from relatively severe diseases can be helped at present, the use of more sophisticated and complex treatment leads to impairment of the defence mechanisms in more patients than was the case ten to twenty years ago, and these patients are also more prone to develop an infection. Two questions are particularly relevant in this context. 1) Under what conditions do hospital infections occur? Defects of host defence mechanisms are of great importance in this respect. Such defects can be due to the disease or to the treatment given to the patient. 2) Which of the host defence mechanisms can be affected by a stay in the hospital? Among the factors involved in the host defence against infections (Table I), a number are especially important in this respect. For instance, venepuncture, indwelling catheters, and surgery all cause a breach in the surface structures. Anaesthesia causes temporary impairment of mechanical factors. Vascularization may be defective -- especial­ ly in the aged and patients with diabetes mellitus -- and this may complicate the healing of wounds in the skin and mucous membranes after surgery. This book records the papers and discussions at a Work­ shop which took place in London on the 5th and 6th of April 1979, as part of the programme of the Commission of the European Communities on Medical and Public Health Research. However the views expressed are those of the individuals concerned and not of the EEC or any of its organs. The object was to discuss certain biological aspects of natural and experimental slow virus infections. Because the amount of knowledge and the focus of interest varied in respect of each infection the approach and emphasis varied also. In the case of scrapie, we discussed the nature of the agent and the mode of pathogenesis, in the case of SSPE, the search for unusual features of the virus, and recent detail­ ed work on the immunology of the disease. As for Visna we reviewed the present understanding of the virus and its pathogenicity and also field epidemiology and methods for its control. There were also general papers, on interferon and oncornaviruses for example. We thank all those who made the meeting possible and enabled us to produce this book quickly, so that those who could not attend the meeting may nevertheless be able to read a great deal of what went on at it. In particular we would thank the Ciba Foundation who allowed us the use of their premises and Mrs. Jean Ashley who dealt with most of the arrangements. Front Matter....Pages i-2 Malaria and babesiosis: similarities and differences....Pages 3-33 Immunology of malaria....Pages 35-51 Immunology of Babesia infections....Pages 53-63 The red cell cytoskeleton and invasion by malaria parasites....Pages 65-83 Pathogenesis of babesiosis....Pages 85-93 Research towards vaccination against malaria; an update....Pages 95-102 Research on babesiosis vaccines....Pages 103-122 Planning for malaria vaccine development....Pages 123-128 Antibabesial vaccination using antigens from cell culture fluids: industrial requirements....Pages 129-140 Recent developments in chemotherapy and drug resistance....Pages 141-149 Chemotherapy of babesiosis....Pages 151-172 Malaria epidemiology....Pages 173-205 Epidemiology of babesiosis....Pages 207-232 Malaria control....Pages 233-262 Control of bovine babesiosis....Pages 263-303 Back Matter....Pages 305-313 Malaria and babesiosis: simularities and differences. Immunology of malaria. Immunology of babesia infections. The red cell cytoskelecton and invasion by malaria parasites. Pathogenesis of babesiosis. Research towards vaccionation against malaria; an update. Research on babesiosis vacciones. Planning for malaria vaccine development. Antibabesial vaccination using antigens from cell culture fluids: industrial requerements. Recent development in chemotherapy and drug resistance. Chemotherapy of babesiosis. Malaria epidemiology. Epidemiology of babesiosis. Malaria control. Control of babesiosis Proceedings of the Round Table Conference on Developments in Antibiotic Treatment of Respiratory Infections in the Hospital and General Practice, held in the Kurhaus, Scheveningen, The Netherlands, June 15-16, 1980 Proceedings of the International Workshop on Combined Antimicrobial Therapy, held in Rome, 21-22 April, 1978 Edited By D. A. J. Tyrrell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.