Pathogenesis and Pharmacological Applications of Bacterial Toxins

Bacterial toxins operate as independent molecular devices, targeting particular cells in an organism. They punch holes in the cell membrane and modify their intracellular components. Many bacterial toxins are strong human poisons, such as diphtheria, botulinum, Shiga and tetanus toxins. The lethality of a majority of the bacterial exotoxins can be compared with the lethality of endotoxin, snake venom and strychnine. They are multifunctional and self-programmed for reaching their target cells and organs. Due to this reason, they are significant pharmacological tools that can be used to treat various diseases. Diagnosis of various diseases depends on the identification and detection of toxins. Vaccines are made from chemically detoxified bacterial toxins and certain properties of these toxins make them appropriate for therapeutic applications. Different pharmacological applications, evaluations, and advanced studies on bacterial toxins have been included in this book. It presents researches and studies performed by experts across the globe. This book is appropriate for students seeking detailed information on bacterial toxins and their pathogenesis.