Tropical Diseases: From Molecule to Bedside (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology)

Tropical Diseases: From Molecule to Bedside covers a wide range of topics that reflect perspectives of northern and southern hemispheres. Fittingly, it defines tropical diseases in a broader-than-usual manner. The book discusses traditional tropical medicine topics of infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies. These diseases are common in the tropics, although some are associated more with poverty than with tropical living conditions. It also deals with genetic diseases and genomic issues that are truly associated with living in the tropics, e.g. the thalassemias. The book begins with several papers describing the vast human genetic diversity of Southeast Asia and its relationship to several genetic disorders. These papers illustrate the future direction of genomic activities in relation to disease susceptibility and resistance. The next sections deal with malaria and four specific viral and bacterial diseases of the tropics: hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, and leprosy, followed by a section on general bacterial infection. Two papers on nutrition complete the volume.