Sex and Gender Differences in Infection and Treatments for Infectious Diseases

This book provides an overview of the underlying sex-based and hormone-based differences in immunity, wound healing and pharmacokinetics, while also exploring how pregnancy affects immunity. The second part of the book shows, for the first time in a single volume, the growing number of infectious diseases for which sex and gender differences are noted, identifies common as well as distinct mechanisms mediating these differences and illustrates how responses to treatments might differ between the sexes. The awareness that males and females differ in their response to specific pathogens as well as to treatments for infectious diseases may yield sex-specific personalized treatments. This book will be of interest to basic scientists and clinicians in the fields of microbiology, immunology and pharmacology. Individuals working in academia, government and industry will also benefit from the information presented.

• bacterial infection
• immune response
• personalised treatment
• vaccination
• virus infection
• infectious diseases

“The intended audience is basic science and clinical researchers in the fields of microbiology, immunology, and pharmacology. Practitioners of personalized medicine will find this book helpful in understanding the mechanisms and factors that lead to sex-specific responses to treatment of infectious diseases and vaccinations. … This unique book provides a comprehensive series of up-to-date reviews by experts on sex and gender differences in immunology and infectious diseases.” (Robert Gene Penn, Doody’s Book Reviews, February, 2016)

• Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA

  Sabra L. Klein

• Professor of Parasitology, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom

  Craig W. Roberts

Policies and ethics