Main description:

Microbial Ecology and Health takes stock of the contribution of microbial ecology to health by examining environmental and anthropogenic factors involved in the emergence of infectious diseases. Microbes appeared on our planet over 3.5 billion years ago and have colonized almost all habitats with varying ecologies. The majority of these microbes are involved in non-pathogenic long-term relationships with host macro-organisms.

Nowadays, microbial ecology is using the principles of these peaceful relationships between microbiota and hosts to help prevent and control infectious diseases. The authors put forward a holistic view of infectious diseases through the integration of ecological processes and the determining factors of human, animal, or plant hosts. The bringing together of microbial ecology and health is undoubtedly becoming a solution to control current and future diseases that are now the leading cause of death worldwide.

Contents:

1. Foundations and concepts in microbial ecology 2. Microbial ecology for understanding the risk of infection 3. Wildlife, the first supplier of infectious agents 4. Microbial ecology and infectious disease vectors 5. Microbial ecology and the emergence of infections 6. Contributions of genomics to microbial ecology and health 7. Microbial ecology and anti-infection strategies 8. Conclusion