This book provides a detailed account of the physico-chemical properties and biological
functions of the outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of different pathogenic and non-pathogenic
Gram-negative bacteria. It also includes an authentic record of the first systematic study that
discovered the mechanism of OMV formation by a pathogen Vibrio cholerae and proposed that
the process represented a novel secretory activity of bacteria. Furthermore the authors
present clinical and laboratory data on the use of OMVs as immunogens as effective and
licensed vaccines against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B infections and on the development
of more effective vaccines against other human and animal pathogens including Vibrio cholerae.
This volume thus bears witness to the emerging revolution in the field of vaccines against
pathogens and closes with a discussion of open questions and future research on OMVs.
