Polymicrobial Diseases

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=pmd.TOC&depth=2

Kim A. Brogden
Janet M. Guthmiller

The veterinary, medical, and dental literature is filled with reports of diseases involving more than one etiologic agent. These have come to be known as polymicrobial diseases. Polymicrobial diseases in animals and humans are more common than generally realized, and many perceived "single-etiologic agent diseases," when examined closely, contain polymicrobial etiologies. These include respiratory diseases, gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, keratitis, hepatitis, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, genital infections, intra-abdominal infections, and pertussis.

Polymicrobial Diseases is a collection of chapters from investigators researching a variety of diseases with multiple etiologies. These diseases can be categorized as those originating from polyviral infections, polybacterial infections, viral and bacterial infections, and polymicrobial mycotic infections, and those that result in immunosuppression.