Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part I. Life and death of microorganisms -- 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 -- Part II. The microbial world -- Identification and classification of prokaryotes -- The diversity of prokaryotic organisms -- The eukaryotic members of the microbial world -- Viruses of bacteria -- Viruses of animals and plants -- Part III. Microorganisms and humans -- Nonspecific immunity -- Specific immunity -- Applications of immune responses -- Immunologic disorders -- Host-microbe interactions -- Epidemiology -- Antimicrobial medications -- Part IV. Infectious diseases -- Skin infections -- Respiratory system infections -- Alimentary system infections -- Genitourinary infections -- Nervous system infections -- Wound infections -- Blood and lymphatic infections -- HIV disease and complications of immunodeficiency -- Part V. Applied microbiology -- Environmental microbiology -- Water and waste treatment -- Food microbiology.