Strict and Facultative Anaerobes: Medical and Environmental Aspects reviews all aspects of anaerobic bacteria, highlighting their environmental and medical importance. The first three chapters focus on taxonomy, anaerobic metabolism and the genetic regulation of anaerobic processes in strict and facultative anaerobes. The next section includes an examination of the physiological traits of anaerobic bacteria that enable them to be beneficial in one situation but hazardous to human and animal health in others. Other topics include the anaerobic nature of infections, latency, anaerobic biofilms, and toxin production. The final section reviews iron, selenate, and arsenate reduction, as well as oxidation of halogenated organics, ammonium oxidation, and acetogenesis.

This important book provides detailed coverage of the wide-ranging capabilities of anaerobic bacteria. It examines their basic biology and chemistry, medical importance, and applications in biotechnology and environmental science. It is an essential reference for everyone interested in anaerobic bacteria, environmental biology, medical microbiology, and industrial bacteriology.