Immunology and Immunopathology: Immune Response, Mechanisms of Immune Control and Bacterial Evasion

The book presents a wide-ranging and insightful study of the intricate relationship between host immunity and bacterial survival strategies. Combining the core principles of immunology with contemporary perspectives on immunopathology, this volume examines how the immune system detects, responds to, and regulates microbial invasion, while also highlighting the remarkable ability of bacteria to evade, manipulate, and persist within the host environment. It offers a detailed exploration of both innate and adaptive immunity, covering the roles of antibodies, T cells, B cells, cytokines, macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, complement pathways, and pattern recognition receptors in defending the body against infection. Special attention is given to the dynamic mechanisms of immune control, including inflammation, vaccination, autoimmunity, immune deficiency, and the cellular processes that govern host protection. Through its discussion of tissue-resident memory T cells, unconventional T-cell responses, oral immunity, macrophage-mediated pathogen uptake, and immune responses to major bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella and Streptococcus mutans, the book provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of immune defense across diverse biological contexts. A significant strength of this work lies in its careful treatment of bacterial immune evasion. From antigenic variation, immunomodulator secretion, and cytokine inhibition to autophagy avoidance, suppression of host immune responses, and strategies of intracellular persistence, the volume illuminates the ongoing molecular contest between host defense and microbial adaptation. Scholarly in scope and practical in relevance, this book will serve as a valuable resource for students, researchers, teachers, clinicians, and academicians in immunology, microbiology, pathology, biomedical sciences, and allied health disciplines.