Outlines the development of the main branches of mycology.

This book is the first to give a well-documented, illustrated survey of the historical background to disease caused by fungi in man and domesticated animals. Medical and veterinary mycology includes the study of infectious diseases caused by actinomycetes and allergic conditions induced by both fungi and actinomycetes, and their history is also described here. The foundations of medical mycology have been laid over the past centuries but have only been completed during recent decades. This is therefore an appropriate moment to write the history of this specialty, which involves the collaboration of medically qualified and non-medically trained workers. Dr Ainsworth's long and varied career in mycology fits him ideally to the task he has undertaken and he has drawn on his experience to provide an invaluable scholarly perspective on the area.

The book deals with fungi, deftly defined as “the organisms studied by mycologists”. The fungi are now placed under three kingdoms: Fungi, Protozoa and Chromista/Straminopila due to their phylogenetic heterogeneity. In the last decade, world wide research projects: the “Deep Hypha” and AFTOL (Assembling the Fungal Tree of Life), have provided a phylogenetic classification based on genetic relatedness as evidenced by DNA sequencing data. The ‘Eumycotan fungi’, the ‘Protozoan fungi’ and the ‘Chromistan fungi’ represent distinct monophyletic groups. i.e. each group has a common ancestor and all are its descendants. The classification offered by above mega research projects and accepted by Dictionary of Fungi (2008) and leading international journals, forms the basis of this book. There are many surprises: Fungi and Animalia together form a monophyletic group. But there is no common name for them, and are called as “sister groups”. The mycologists would discover emergence of a new world of ‘modern mycology’ gleaned from recent publications. The book starts with History of Mycology remembering Louis Pasteur’s famous quote “History of science is science itself”. There are 31 chapters describing the form and function of fungi. Their symbiotic associations, chemical activities, secondary metabolites, mycotoxins, heterothallism, parasexuality and sex hormones are described under exclusive chapters. Each chapter is followed by a ‘summary’, and ‘test questions’. The book will be indispensable for students of botany, microbiology, plant pathology and medical mycology.

Today’s accelerated pace of research, aided by new instruments and techniques that combine the approaches of genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology, has changed the character of mycology. A new approach is necessary for the organization and study of fungi. Fungi: Experimental Methods in Biology presents the latest information in fungal biology generated through the application of genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry. This book analyzes information derived through real experiments, and focuses on unresolved questions in the field. Divided into six sections comprising 14 chapters, the text describes the special features of fungi, interactions of fungi with other organisms, model fungi in research, gene manipulation, adaptations, and natural populations. Each chapter is self-contained and written in a style that enables the reader to progress from elementary concepts to advanced research, benefiting both beginning research workers and experienced professionals. A comprehensive appendix covers the principles in naming fungi and discusses their broad classification.

The Oxford Textbook of Medical Mycology is a comprehensive reference text which brings together the science and medicine of human fungal disease. Written by a leading group of international authors to bring a global expertise, it is divided into sections that deal with the principles of mycology, the organisms, a systems based approach to management, fungal disease in specific patient groups, diagnosis, and treatment. The detailed clinical chapters take account of recent international guidelines on the management of fungal disease. With chapters covering recent developments in taxonomy, fungal genetics and other 'omics', epidemiology, pathogenesis, and immunology, this textbook is well suited to aid both scientists and clinicians. The extensive illustrations, tables, and in-depth coverage of topics, including discussion of the non-infective aspects of allergic and toxin mediated fungal disease, are designed to aid the understanding of mechanisms and pathology, and extend the usual approach to fungal disease. This textbook is essential reading for microbiologists, research scientists, infectious diseases clinicians, respiratory physicians, and those managing immunocompromised patients. Part of the Oxford Textbook in Infectious Disease and Microbiology series, it is also a useful companion text for students and trainees looking to supplement mycology courses and microbiology training.

The variety of the mycological world is far greater than most people imagine. Tens of thousands of fungal species have been described and many more are known only from the abundance of their genes in soil and water. Fungi are hugely important as agents of wood decay in forests, and, as parasites, they have caused the deaths of millions of people by ravaging crops and reshaping natural ecosystems. Fungi perform a variety of essential functions in ecosystems, and are important to both agriculture and biotechnology. Their importance is now becoming better appreciated among scientists, though there is much still to be understood concerning their taxonomy and evolution. This Very Short Introduction highlights the variety and extraordinary natures of fungi, revealing the remarkable facts of fungal biology and the global significance of these enchanting organisms. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.