Table of contents : Front Matter......Page 1 Preface......Page 2 Guided Tour......Page 6 1. The Main Themes of Microbiology......Page 12 2. From Atoms to Cells: A Chemical Connection......Page 37 3. Tools of the Laboratory: The Methods for Studying Microorganisms......Page 69 4. Procaryotic Profiles: The Bacteria and Archaea......Page 98 5. Eucaryotic Cells and Microorganisms......Page 134 6. An Introduction to the Viruses......Page 170 7. Elements of Microbial Nutrition, Ecology, and Growth......Page 197 8. Microbial Metabolism: The Chemical Crossroads of Life......Page 227 9. Microbial Genetics......Page 260 10. Genetic Engineering: A Revolution in Molecular Biology......Page 297 11. Physical and Chemical Control of Microbes......Page 329 12. Drugs, Microbes, Host_The Elements of Chemotherapy......Page 359 13. Microbe-Human Interactions: Infection and Disease......Page 391 14. The Nature of Host Defenses......Page 427 15. The Acquisition of Specific Immunity and Its Applications......Page 457 16. Immunization and Immune Assays......Page 487 17. Disorders in Immunity......Page 508 Mini-Ch: Introduction to Identification Techniques in Medical Microbiology......Page 546 18. The Cocci of Medical Importance......Page 555 19. The Gram-Positive Bacilli of Medical Importance......Page 585 20. The Gram-Negative Bacilli of Medical Importance......Page 613 21. Miscellaneous Bacterial Agents of Disease......Page 639 22. The Fungi of Medical Importance......Page 674 23. The Parasites of Medical Importance......Page 703 24. Introduction to the Viruses of Medical Importance: The DNA Viruses......Page 737 25. The RNA Viruses of Medical Importance......Page 761 26. Environmental and Applied Microbiology......Page 801 Appendix A: Exponents......Page 846 Appendix B: Significant Events in Microbiology......Page 848 Appendix C: Methods for Testing Sterilization and Germicidal Processes......Page 850 Appendix D: Classification of Major Microbial Disease Agents......Page 852 Appendix E: Answers to Multiple.Choice Questions and Selected Matching Questions......Page 861 Glossary......Page 862 Credits......Page 878 Index......Page 881