Main description:

Opportunistic Infections: Toxoplasma, Sarcocystis, and Microsporidia will focus on two important Genera of Apicomplexan parasites, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis species, and the medically important members of the Phylum Microsporida. We have been fortunate in obtaining excellent contributions from many experts in the field.
Volumes in the "World Class Parasites" book series are written for researchers, students and scholars who enjoy reading about excellent research on problems of global significance. Each volume focuses on a parasite, or group of parasites, that has a major impact on human health, or agricultural productivity, and against which we have no satisfactory defense. The volumes are intended to supplement more formal texts that cover taxonomy, life cycles, morphology, vector distribution, symptoms and treatment. They integrate vector, pathogen and host biology and celebrate the diversity of approach that comprises modern parasitological research.

Contents:

Biology of Toxoplasma Gondii in Cast and Other Animals.- Proteases as potential targets for blocking Toxoplasma gondii invasion and replication.- Targeting the toxoplasma gondii apicoplast for chemotherapy.- Factors determining resistance and susceptibility to infection with Toxoplasma gondii.- Immune Response to Toxoplasma Gondii in the Central Nervous System.- Developmental stage conversion: Insights and possibilities.- Sarcocystis of humans.- Zoonotic microsporidia from animals and arthropods with a discussion of human infections.- Insights into the Immune Responses to Microsporidia.- Chemotherapy of microsporidiosis: Benzimidazoles, fumagillin and polyamine analogues.- Phylogenetics: Taxonomy and the microsporidia as derived fungi.- The microsporidia genome: Living with minimal genes as an intracellular eukaryote.