Bacterial infections of the small intestine and colon

Bacterial infections of the small and large intestine are widespread and co ntinue to be topics of active research. Surveys document the importance of diarrheal disease in many settings. Major breakthroughs in the understandin g of pathogenic mechanisms (especially the interactions of bacteria and int estinal cells) continue, particularly with respect to shigella, salmonella, Yersinia species, and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Pathogenic mechan isms of other bacteria, such as campylobacter and enteroaggregative E. coli , are not well defined. Vaccines for cholera and typhoid fever are availabl e, and new vaccines are in various stages of development ranging from synth esis of novel constructs to large-scale field trials. Several candidate vac cines are being exploited as carriers of antigens from other pathogens. Ext raintestinal complications from salmonella, shigella, campylobacter, Yersin ia species, and Shiga toxin-expressing E, coli are receiving much attention , Genomic sequencing of several of these pathogens is underway. The impact of this work is hard to predict, but expectations are high. (C) 2000 Lippin cott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.