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Despite the continued use of antibiotics, bacterial diseases
are still a major health problem. The determinants and mechanisms
pathogenic bacteria use to cause disease are under continual
investigation. Pathogenicity is a multifactorial property
of bacteria allowing them to infect mucous surfaces; enter
the host through those surfaces; multiply in the environment
of the host; interfere with host defenses; and damage host
tissues. Virulence is the degree of pathogenicity and dependent
upon the presence of certain structural, biochemical, or
genetic traits that allow bacteria to induce disease. Periodically,
the need arises to overview the entire field and summarize
major advances. This is the purpose of the fourth Virulence
Mechanisms of Bacterial Pathogens, International Symposium
at the Scheman Conference Center, Iowa State University,
Ames, IA on September 6-8, 2006. This Symposium is a continuation
of a series of symposia held in Ames, IA in 1987, 1994, and
1999. Each resulted in the Virulence Mechanisms of Bacterial
Pathogens monograph published by the American Society for
Microbiology Press in 1988 (first edition), 1995 (second
edition), and 2000 (third edition).
The purpose of the Symposium is unique. Renowned experts
give overview presentations of their respective areas in
the pathogenesis of bacterial diseases and mechanisms of
host-pathogen interactions for non-specialists and students
in bacteriology and immunology. The format starts with
an introductory session (Session I), and is followed by sessions
on virulence genes (Session II); pathogenic microbial communities
(Session III); bacterial attachment, invasion, and colonization
(Session IV); bacterial effects on host cells (Session
V); and innate and adaptive resistance to pathogens (Session
VI). The last session (Session VII) will contain a concluding
perspective on the state and future of studies on bacterial
pathogenicity. Attendees will be able to submit abstracts
of their specific research, which will be featured in a
poster viewing session.
The format of the Symposium is unique and innovative. It
contains timely overview presentations, which are beneficial
not only to specialists in bacterial pathogenicity but
to a diverse group of non-specialists (e.g., physician
scientists, dental scientists, veterinarians, molecular
biologists, and researchers with backgrounds in bacteriology
and immunology), undergraduate and graduate students, staff,
and technicians. Throughout the meeting, attendees also
have the opportunity to interact directly with speakers.
After completion of this Symposium, the talks will be compiled
as chapters and put into a monograph published by the American
Society for Microbiology Press in 2007. Like previous monographs,
this monograph will serve as source of information on the
virulence mechanisms of bacterial pathogens and will serve
as a textbook for graduate courses on bacterial pathogenesis.
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