Iincludes index.

Contents: Humans and the microbial world -- The molecules of life -- Microscopy and cell structure -- Dynamics of prokaryotic growth -- control of microbial growth Metabolism:fueling cell growth -- The blueprint of life,from DNA to protein -- Bacterial genetics -- Biotechnology and recombinant DNA -- Identification and classification of prokaryotic organisms -- The diversity of prokaryotic organism -- The eukaryotic members of the microbial world -- Viruses of bacteria -- Viruses,prions,and viroids:infectious agents of animals and plants -- The innate immune response -- The adaptive immune response -- Host-microbe interactions -- Immunologic disorders -- Applications of immune responses -- Epidemiology -- Antimicrobial medications -- Respiratory system infections -- Skin infections -- Wound infections -- Digestive system infections -- Genitourinary infections -- Nervous system infections -- Blood and lymphatic infections -- HIV disease and complications of immunodeficiency -- Microbial ecology -- Environmental microbiology: treatment of water,wastes,and polluted habitats -- Food microbiology.