Parasitic flatworms are the cause of a number of major diseases of medical and veterinary significance. Much recent research has focused on molecular biology and genomics. This book aims to review advances in our understanding of these and related topics such as flatworm biochemistry, immunology and physiology. Where appropriate comparisons are made between different parasitic flatworms and between parasitic and free living species.
Part I: Phylogeny, Genetics and Transcriptomes; * The Evolution of Parasitism in Flatworms, D T J Littlewood, Natural History Museum, UK; * Genomes and Genomics of Parasitic Flatworms, D A Johnston, Natural History Museum, UK; * Genetic Discrimination of Echinococcus Species and Strains, D P McManus, University of Queensland, Australia; * Ribosomal DNA Variation in Parasitic Flatworms, D Blair, James Cook University, Australia; * Genetic Studies on Monogeneas with Emphasis on Gyrodactylus, C O Cunningham and I Matejusovo, FRS Marine Laboratory, UK; * The Schistosome Transcriptome, S Verjovski-Almeida and R DeMarco, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil; * Transgenic Flatworms, C G Grevelding, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany; Part II: Immunobiology, Host-Parasite Interaction and Control; * Immunobiology of Schistosomes, S G Forrester, University of Ontario, Canada and E J Pearce, University of Pennsylvania, USA; * Cestode Infection: Immunological Considerations From Host and Tapeworm Perspectives, D M McKay and R A Webb, York University, Canada; * Parasitic Flatworms: Signal Transduction at the Host-Parasite Interface, T P Yoshino, J J Vermeire and J Humphries, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; * Parasite Effects on the Snail Host Transcriptome, M Knight and N Raghavan, Biomedical Research Institute, USA; * Developments in the chemotherapy of parasitic flatworms, G C Coles, University of Bristol, UK; * Drug Resistance in Schistosomes, T A Day, Iowa State University, USA and S Botros, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt; * Praziquantel: Mechanism of Action, R M Greenberg, Marine Biological Laboratory, USA; * Cestode Vaccine Development, M W Lightowlers, University of Melbourne, Australia; * The Development of a Schistosome Vaccine, R A Wilson and P S Coulson, University of York, UK; Part III: Protein Function, Metabolism and Physiology; * Flatworm Parasite Proteomics, R M Morphew, J Barrett and P M Brophy, University of Wales, UK; * Proteases in Trematode Biology, J P Dalton, University of Technology, Australia, C R Caffrey, M Sajid, University of California, USA, C Stack, S Donnelly, University of Technology, Australia, A Loukas, T Don, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, J McKerrow, University of California, USA, D W Halton, Queen's University Belfast, UK and P J Brindley, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, USA; * Signalling Molecules and Nerve-Muscle Function, A G Maule, N J Marks and T A Day; * Unusual Aspects of Metabolism in Flatworm Parasites, A G M Tielens and J J van Hellemond, Utrecht University, Netherlands; * Glycoconjugate Structures, M Wuhrer, Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands and R Geyer, University of Giessen, Germany; * Gene Silencing in Flatworms using RNA interference, P J Skelly, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, USA.