Contents:

Section 1 : The gram-positive cell wall. The gram-positive cell wall --
The gram-positive bacterial cell wall --
Surface proteins on gram-positive bacteria --
Section 2 : The streptococcus. --
A : Group A streptococci --
Intracellular invasion by streptococcus pyogenes: invasins, host receptors, and relevance to human disease --
Capsular polysaccharide of group A streptococcus --
Toxins and superantigens of group A streptococci --
Genetics of group a streptococci --
Molecular mimicry, autoimmunity, and infection: the cross-reactive antigens of group a streptococci and their sequelae --
Extracellular matrix interactions with gram-positive pathogens --
Group a streptococcus-mediated host cell signaling --
Vaccine approaches to protect against group a streptococcal pharyngitis --
The bacteriophages of streptococcus pyogenes --
Molecular epidemiology, ecology, and evolution of group a streptococci --
B : Group B streptococci. Surface structures of group b streptococcus important in human immunity --
Group b streptococcus (Streptococcus agalactiae) --
C : Group c and g streptococci --
Genetics and pathogenicity factors of group c and g streptococci --
Pathogenicity factors in group c and g streptococci --
Infections caused by group c and g streptococcus (Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis and others): epidemiological and clinical aspects --
D : Streptococcus pneumoniae. The cell wall of Streptococcus pneumoniae --
Streptococcus pneumoniae Capsular Polysaccharide --
Streptococcus pneumoniae: invasion and inflammation --
Phase variation of Streptococcus pneumoniae --
Genomics and genetics of Streptococcus pneumoniae --
Pneumococcal vaccines --
E : Enterococci. Pathogenicity of enterococci --
Enterococcal genetics --
F : Oral streptococci. Biology of oral streptococci --
The biology of Streptococcus mutans --
Genetics of sanguinis-group streptococci in health and disease --
G : Lactococci. Genetics of lactococci --
Section 3 : The staphylococcus. The staphylococcus --
Staphylococci: evolving genomes --
Staphylococcal plasmids, transposable and integrative elements --
Temperate phages of staphylococcus aureus --
Pathogenicity islands and their role in staphylococcal biology --
Respiration and small colony variants of Staphylococcus aureus --
Noncoding RNA --
The staphylococcal cell wall --
Staphylococcal protein secretion and envelope assembly --
Surface proteins of Staphylococcus aureus --
Immune Evasion by Staphylococcus aureus --
Staphylococcus aureus secreted toxins and extracellular enzymes --
Regulation of staphylococcus aureus virulence --
Virulence and metabolism --
Staphylococcal biofilms --
Fulminant staphylococcal infections --
Staphylococcus aureus colonization of the human nose and interaction with other microbiome members --
Staphylococcus aureus in animals --
Antibiotic resistance and the MRSA problem --
Immunity to staphylococcus aureus: implications for vaccine development --
Nonconventional therapeutics against Staphylococcus aureus --
Section 4 : The listeriae. The listeriae --
Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of Listeria monocytogenes infection --
Innate and adaptive immune responses during Listeria monocytogenes infection --
Regulation of Listeria monocytogenes virulence --
Listeria monocytogenes: cell biology of invasion and intracellular growth --
Metabolism of the gram-positive bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes --
Section 5 : Spore-forming pathogens. spore-forming pathogens --
The Bacillus cereus group: bacillus species with pathogenic potential --
Sporulation and germination in clostridial pathogens --
clostridial genetics: genetic manipulation of the pathogenic clostridia --
Genomics of the pathogenic clostridia --
Virulence plasmids of the pathogenic clostridia --
Enterotoxic clostridia: Clostridium perfringens enteric diseases --
Enterotoxic clostridia: Clostridioides difficile infections --
Histotoxic clostridial infections --
Section 6 : Mycobacteria and corynebacteria. Mycobacteria and corynebacteria --
Mycobacteriophages --
Immunology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections --
Unraveling the structure of the mycobacterial envelope --
The dream of a Mycobacterium --
Mycobacterium tuberculosis metabolism --
Protein export into and across the atypical diderm cell envelope of mycobacteria --
Corynebacterium diphtheriae: diphtheria toxin, the tox operon, and its regulation by Fe2+ activation of apo-DtxR.

"Gram-positive bacteria, lacking an outer membrane and related secretory systems and having a thick peptidoglycan, have developed novel approaches to pathogenesis by acquiring (among others) a unique family of surface proteins, toxins, enzymes, and prophages. For the new edition, the editors have enhanced this fully researched compendium of Gram-positive bacterial pathogens by including new data generated using genomic sequencing as well as the latest knowledge on Gram-positive structure and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and theories on the mechanisms of Gram-positive bacterial pathogenicity. This edition emphasizes streptococci, staphylococci, listeria, and spore-forming pathogens, with chapters written by many of the leading researchers in these areas. The chapters systematically dissect these organisms biologically, genetically, and immunologically, in an attempt to understand the strategies used by these bacteria to cause human disease"