Preface

Actinobacteria constitute one of the largest phyla. They are a group of Gram-positive aero‐ bic bacteria that are distributed in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Members of Actino‐ bacteria have adopted different lifestyles, and can be pathogens such as *Mycobacterium*, *Corynebacterium*, *Nocardia*, *Tropheryma*, and *Propionibacterium*, soil inhabitants such as *Strepto‐ myces*, plant commensals such as *Leifsonia*, or gastrointestinal commensals such as *Bifidobac‐ terium*. They have an extensive bioactive secondary metabolism and produce a huge amount of the naturally derived antibiotics in current clinical use, as well as many anticancer, anthel‐ mintic, and antifungal compounds. Consequently, these bacteria are of major importance for biotechnology, medicine, and agriculture. The first antibiotics discovered in Actinobacte‐ ria were actinomycin from a culture of *Streptomyces antibioticus* in 1940, which was then fol‐ lowed by many antibiotic production discoveries, including major classes of clinical antibiotics such as aminoglycosides, β-lactams, macrolides, oxazolidinones, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, streptogramins, glycopeptides, and β-lactamase inhibitors like clavulanic acid. Moreover, some antitumor agents such as daunorubicin, landomycin, and moromycin were also produced from Actinobacteria.

We decided to write this book to discuss the different types of Actinobacteria and applica‐ tions of their members in medicine, agriculture, and industry as presented by international leaders in their respective fields.

This book consists of several review chapters. Each chapter starts with a brief introduction, including its aim, and then goes on to provide detailed information about current research relevant to the field. The authors give an overview of the Actinobacteria that they used in their research as important microorganisms that exert beneficial effects on humans and/or the environment in a simple way that allows the reader to form a complete picture of these beneficial microorganisms and their suitability as therapeutic and biomaterial agents. Through the chapters, the authors explore Actinobacteria and how these microorganisms could be of great importance to our life. They examine the beneficial effects of Actinobacte‐ ria and the different usages of their secondary metabolites. Future aspects in the develop‐ ment of technologies for the production of improved products are also reviewed here.

We believe that our book is ideal for scientists, especially those who are interested in Actino‐ bacteria. We hope you enjoy reading it. Finally, we would like to thank all the contributing authors without whose dedication and brilliant research this project would not have been accomplished.

> **Dr. Shymaa Enany** Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty of Pharmacy Suez Canal University Ismailia, Egypt

**Chapter 1**

**Provisional chapter**

**Paralleling of Diagnostic Endeavor for Control of**

**Paralleling of Diagnostic Endeavor for Control of** 

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.77316

Mycobacterial infections and tuberculosis pose global public health threats. High tuberculosis morbidities and mortalities are due to the diagnosis problems among other causes. This chapter describes and compares diverse mycobacterial infections and tuberculosis diagnostic efforts and point-out the direction so as to inform areas of and motivate research toward early, rapid, and accurate diagnosis for effective TB control. We have grouped diagnostic approaches according to the type of sample taken for or organ targeted during diagnosis. The sputum-based methods include smear microscopy, culture, and rat sniffing. Interferon-γ (INF-γ) release assays, transcriptional blood signatures, and proteomic profiling use blood samples while colorimetric sensor array (CSA) and mass spectrometry use urine samples. Patho-physiological methods include tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) and radiography. Chromatography and acoustic wave detection can also be used to diagnose TB from breath. Comparative description of these methods is based on a time frame to diagnosis, accuracy, cost, and convenience. The trend shows that there is a move from time-consuming, slow and narrow-spectrum to quick and broad-spectrum TB diagnostic procedures. The sputum-based and patho-physiological approaches remain conformist while blood-based procedures lead research developments. Absence of single best approach calls for synergistic research combinations that form accurate, rapid,

**Keywords:** tuberculosis, zoonosis, Cricetomys gambianus, tuberculin, interferon,

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

**Mycobacterial Infections and Tuberculosis**

**Mycobacterial Infections and Tuberculosis**

Athumani Msalale Lupindu, Erasto Vitus Mbugi, Jahash Nzalawahe and Abubakar Shaaban Hoza

Athumani Msalale Lupindu, Erasto Vitus Mbugi, Jahash Nzalawahe and Abubakar Shaaban Hoza

cheap, and convenient package at point-of-care centers.

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77316

**Abstract**

latent TB infection

#### **Paralleling of Diagnostic Endeavor for Control of Mycobacterial Infections and Tuberculosis Paralleling of Diagnostic Endeavor for Control of Mycobacterial Infections and Tuberculosis**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.77316

Athumani Msalale Lupindu, Erasto Vitus Mbugi, Jahash Nzalawahe and Abubakar Shaaban Hoza Athumani Msalale Lupindu, Erasto Vitus Mbugi, Jahash Nzalawahe and Abubakar Shaaban Hoza

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77316

#### **Abstract**

Mycobacterial infections and tuberculosis pose global public health threats. High tuberculosis morbidities and mortalities are due to the diagnosis problems among other causes. This chapter describes and compares diverse mycobacterial infections and tuberculosis diagnostic efforts and point-out the direction so as to inform areas of and motivate research toward early, rapid, and accurate diagnosis for effective TB control. We have grouped diagnostic approaches according to the type of sample taken for or organ targeted during diagnosis. The sputum-based methods include smear microscopy, culture, and rat sniffing. Interferon-γ (INF-γ) release assays, transcriptional blood signatures, and proteomic profiling use blood samples while colorimetric sensor array (CSA) and mass spectrometry use urine samples. Patho-physiological methods include tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) and radiography. Chromatography and acoustic wave detection can also be used to diagnose TB from breath. Comparative description of these methods is based on a time frame to diagnosis, accuracy, cost, and convenience. The trend shows that there is a move from time-consuming, slow and narrow-spectrum to quick and broad-spectrum TB diagnostic procedures. The sputum-based and patho-physiological approaches remain conformist while blood-based procedures lead research developments. Absence of single best approach calls for synergistic research combinations that form accurate, rapid, cheap, and convenient package at point-of-care centers.

**Keywords:** tuberculosis, zoonosis, Cricetomys gambianus, tuberculin, interferon, latent TB infection

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
