Discussing each of the organ systems of the human body in turn, this microbiology textbook addresses the diseases caused by invading microbes within each of these systems. The first two of the four sections in this book describe infectious diseases in terms of the bodily conflict between the host and the parasite. The third section is a full, factual, clinically-based account on infectious diseases, with the necessary attention to core medical microbiology. The fourth and final section is devoted to prevention and treatment of microbiological infections and includes a chapter on epidemiology. Some of the principle features of this textbook are: the inclusion of integrated case-studies to reinforce the clinical relevance of the material; summary headings throughout each chapter to support important concepts; a "key facts review" box at the end of each chapter to enable students to prepare for course exams more effectively; and the use of review questions to encourage students to assess their knowledge.