Medical microbiology - Patrick R Murray

Microbiology, at present, is enjoying a period of great popularity. Every year new diseases are discovered (eg Legionnaires' disease, cat scratch disease, Lyme disease, AIDS) or old diseases find a new host or clinical presentation (eg cryptosporidiosis, infant botulism). With the application of sophisticated technological skills in molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology and electron microscopy, the structural organization of these pathogens and the pathogenesis of their associated diseases can be clearly delineated.;For the medical student, the important principles required for medical microbiology are the understanding of the pathogen, the associated diseases and the pathogenesis of these diseases.;This book is intended as a balanced presentation of medically important information. The book aims to balance the four major areas of medical microbiology - bacteriology, mycology, parasitology and virology.;This textbook of medical microbiology has been prepared for students who are either in medical or dental training or at advanced undergraduate level. The information has been carefully selected to help students understand the unique as well as the fundamental properties of micro-organisms, and their relationship to diseases caused by these micro-organisms.;The four major areas have been subdivided into genera and groups and the groups are presented with appropriate discussion of their physiology and structure, epidemiology, associated clinical syndromes, laboratory diagnosis, and treatment, prevention and control of disease.