Fifty Years of Antimicrobials

In the fifty years since the inception of the Society for General Microbiology the study of pathogenic microbes and the development of methods for their control have been a focus of attention for many microbiologists. This volume reviews the immense progress which has been made during the past half-century, opening with the text of Sir Alexander Fleming’s 1946 Linacre Lecture Chemotherapy: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, and then drawing together contributions which consider the development of key antimicrobial compounds, both naturally occurring and synthetic, active against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Broader issues of antimicrobial production, screening, improvement, and resistance are also considered. Topics such as why epidemics still occur and the need for new antibiotics highlight the fact that, despite the advances, the fight against infection continues unabated.

Spis treści:
Preface P. Hunter
1. Chemotherapy, yesterday, today and tomorrow A. Fleming
2. New developments in non-azole fungicides for humans P. Hunter
3. Discovery and development of beta lactam antimicrobials G. Rolinson
4. The need for new antibiotics
possible ways forward H. Zähner and H.-P. Fielder
5. Control of fungi pathogenic to plants P. Russell, R. Milling and K. Wright
6. Quinolines, synthetic antibacterial agents D. Chu and L. Shen
7. Molecular genetics of antimicrobials, a case study of beta-lactam antibiotics G. Cohen and Y. Aharonowitz
8. Who needs new antimicrobials? J. Ryley
9. Why do we still get epidemics? K. Kerr and R. Lacey
10. Why do microorganisms produce antimicrobials? A. Demain
11. Antimalarials, from quinine to atovaquone M. Pudney
12. Genetic engineering of microbes, virus insecticides - a case study D. Bishop, M. Hirst, R. Possee and J. Cory
13. Only 35 years of antiviral nucleoside analogues! G. Darby
14. Antiprotozoal drugs, some echoes, some shadows S. Croft
15. Biocides, activity, action and resistance A. Russell and N. Russell
Index.