Innate Immunity to Pulmonary Infection

Lung infection is a major cause of morbidity and death in developing, as well as developed, countries. Whereas TB is receiving increasing attention, other aspects of lung infection, many treatable or preventable, are relatively neglected.

The subject of innate immunity has moved towards the centre of immunology and is key to the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and vaccination strategies. While much has been learnt about cellular and molecular mechanisms of innate resistance to infection, this has led to little application to human diseases.

The lung is a key target for environmental pathogens, as well as for opportunistic infection, and could be a fertile source of cells and clinical/pathological materials to investigate disease in a genetically varied population. Both genetic and environmental factors that determine the outcome of infection (e.g. latency of TB, blood stream invasion from local infection, local target tissue damage) are still poorly understood.

This book features contributions from some of the world s leading scientists and clinicians working on diverse aspects of innate immunity and lung diseases.  The unique discussion sections review the state of the field and provide new insights into the key problems in this important, emerging research area.  The book provides fascinating reading for immunologists and respiratory physiologists.

Symposium on Innate immunity to pulmonary infection, held at the Wolfson Pavillion, University of Cape Town Medical School, South Africa, 28–30 November 2005.

Editors: Derek J. Chadwick (Organizer) and Jamie Goode.

This symposium is based on a proposal made by Siamon Gordon and Gordon Brown.

Chair′s introduction (Siamon Gordon).

Lung diseases in South Africa: an overview (Eric D. Bateman and Anamika Jithoo).

Discussion.

TB epidemiology and human genetics (Paul D. van Helden, Marlo Moller, Chantal Babb, Robin Warren, Gerhard Walzl, Pieter Uys and Eileen Hoal).

Discussion.

Bacterial infections of the lung in normal and immunodeficient patients (David P. Speert).

Discussion.

Pathogenesis of avian flu H5N1 and SARS (Malik Peiris).

Discussion.

Immunity and tolerance to Aspergillus fumigatus (Claudia Montagnoli, Silvia Bozza, Roberta Gaziano, Teresa Zelante, Pierluigi Bonifazi, Francesca Sepioni, Silvia Bellocchio, Lucia Pitzurra and Luigina Romani).

Discussion.

Pentraxins in innate immunity and inflammation (Cecilia Garlanda, Barbara Bottazzi, Giovanni Salvatori, Rita De Santis, Alessia Cotena, Livija Deban, Viriginia Maina, Federica Moalli, Andrea Doni and Alberto Mantovani).

Discussion.

How superoxide production by neutrophil leukocytes kills microbes (Anthony W. Segal).

Discussion.

Linking innate to adaptive immunity through dendritic cells (Ralph M. Steinman).

Discussion.

Macrophage receptors and innate immunity: insights from dectin–1 (Gordon D. Brown).

Discussion.

Toll–like receptors and control of mycobacterial infection in mice (Bernhard Ryffel, Muazzam Jacobs, Shreemanta Parida, Tania Botha, Dieudonnée Togbe and Valerie Quesniaux).

Discussion.

Population of lungs by mast cells (T. J. Williams and C. L. Weller).

Discussion.

Innate immunity and mucus structure and function (John K. Sheehan, Mehmet Kesimer and Raymond Pickles).

Discussion.

Collectins and host defence (R. B. Sim, H. Clark, K. Hajelaand K. R. Mayilyan).

Discussion.

Infections and asthma pathogenesis: a critical role for dendritic cells? (Bart N. Lambrecht and Leonie S. van Rijt).

Discussion.

Innate and adaptive immunity in lung cancer (L. A. Vella and O. J. Finn).

Discussion.

Summing up (Siamon Gordon).

Index of Contributors.

Subject index.

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" substantially elucidating recent basic science observations of potentially remarkable importance in understanding human biology." ( Doody′s Health Services)