Fully updated, with new case examples of emergent diseases including those caused by coronaviruses and ebola Diseases listed alphabetically under the causative agent, with a separate tabular presentation of the pathogens as bacteria, viral, protozoal/worm/fungal as a guide to the relative involvement of each body system affected Each case answers five core questions and concludes with a bullet-point summary of these same key questions discussing causation, clinical presentation, diagnosis, management and complications and disease prevention strategies Multiple-choice questions with each case for self-testing plus full referencing, suggestions for further reading, a list of relevant websites, and additional resources online A comprehensive glossary allows rapid access to the microbiology and medical terms highlighted in bold in the text.

Microbial pathogenesis is the study of the mechanisms by which microbes (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and multicellular parasites) cause infectious disease and make their hosts (humans) ill. Bacterial infections we thought were easily treatable are again a huge cause for concern with the well-publicized rise of antibiotic resistance. There are very few effective antiviral drugs and we live with the threat of epidemics such as bird flu and the outbreaks of viruses such the recent (and ongoing) Ebola crisis. Parasitic diseases such as malaria continue to pose a heavy burden in the developing world and with climate change could spread into the developed world. There is therefore an urgent need to understand microbial mechanisms, with research programmes and university courses dedicated to the subject.

Microbial pathogenesis is the study of the mechanisms by which microbes (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and multicellular parasites) cause infectious disease and make their hosts (humans) ill. Bacterial infections we thought were easily treatable are again a huge cause for concern with the well-publicized rise of antibiotic resistance. There are very few effective antiviral drugs and we live with the threat of epidemics such as bird flu and the outbreaks of viruses such the recent (and ongoing) Ebola crisis. Parasitic diseases such as malaria continue to pose a heavy burden in the developing world and with climate change could spread into the developed world. There is therefore an urgent need to understand microbial mechanisms, with research programmes and university courses dedicated to the subject.

Fully updated, with new case examples of emergent diseases including those caused by coronaviruses and ebola Diseases listed alphabetically under the causative agent, with a separate tabular presentation of the pathogens as bacteria, viral, protozoal/worm/fungal as a guide to the relative involvement of each body system affected Each case answers five core questions and concludes with a bullet-point summary of these same key questions discussing causation, clinical presentation, diagnosis, management and complications and disease prevention strategies Multiple-choice questions with each case for self-testing plus full referencing, suggestions for further reading, a list of relevant websites, and additional resources online A comprehensive glossary allows rapid access to the microbiology and medical terms highlighted in bold in the text.