Protozoa and Human Disease - 9780815365006

This textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying parasitology and microbiology can be used for a course in medical protozoology and will also be useful as a reference for public health and medical students. The book begins with an overview of protozoa that affect human health and the diseases they cause, then covers biological aspects of medically important protozoa, clinical features and pathologies of the diseases they cause, and the public health issues involved in epidemiology and control. The text blends classical and medical parasitology with more modern disciplines, discussing the molecular and immunological basis for pathogenesis, metabolic pathways, and antigenic variation for the protozoan pathogens. Life cycles are discussed in detail, including molecular and cellular aspects. Chapters are devoted to 15 types of organisms: gastrointestinal protozoa, kinetoplastids, apicomplexa, and free-living protozoa. The book's two-color layout offers b&w images, clinical photos, and illustrations. Wiser is affiliated with Tulane University. Garland Science is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)