Textbook of Microbiology

Medical Microbiology plays a key role in the diagnosis and management (including prevention) of infectious diseases. However, majority of the medical students fail to grasp that essence, while studying the subject. They struggle with the vast microbiological information available in the microbiology textbooks. They are unable to see the relevance of the vast microbiological information, besides find difficulty in its recapitulation and integration with the medical curriculum. The current book is not a compilation of facts but comprises meaningful integrated clinical data. Such a style also encourages application of microbiological information. The microbiological, pathological and clinical data of the ever changing diverse microbes is phenomenal and to present direction and organization amongst it to the undergraduates is a challenge. The MCI recommends integration of the medical microbiology, to make the subject relevant to the medical curriculum. Passionate discussion on revamping of the medical microbiology curriculum has been deliberated upon in the IAMM national conferences of Mumbai in 2003 and Chennai in 2005. But nothing significant has occurred, as partly there is no resource material for the medical teachers and students along these directions. To meet these challenges, the current book has been designed. All key chapters in this book start with an opening vignette/clinical case; often with relevant quotations to convey the theme of the topic. Subsequently the topic is worked out systematically in Q-A format. This is done, so that the study becomes exciting and the relevance of the subject matter becomes clear to the student. All the main chapters with clinical cases have been provided with linkages for providing comprehensive grasping of topics. Linkages in other areas have also been provided. Numerous bacterial/viral agents have diverse microscopic, metabolic features, colony characteristics, media requirements, varying laboratory diagnosis profiles, treatment profiles and vaccines. To understand them and to recall them, there is no better way than to tabulate them on a mega scale covering entire topics. This approach has been followed comprehensively for these parameters. The book has been divided into 17 sections for the organization purpose. Section I and II deal with General Microbiology and Immunology, respectively. Both the sections are opening vignette/integrated clinical case based in Q-A format. The systemic bacteriology portion has been divided into eight independent sections; from III-X. In a section, before the integrated clinical case based studies are depicted, there are chapters devoted to the bacterial and disease characteristics, so that these can be applied and understood in the clinical cases. The laboratory diagnosis and treatment profiles are provided towards the end part of each of the sections. The virology section has four sections from XI to XIV. The section XI deals with General Virology. Section XII and XIII deals with DNA and RNA Viruses, respectively. The latter two sections begin with overview of clinical profile, followed by integrated clinical based studies in Q-A format and end with outline of the laboratory diagnosis. Section XV deals with Mycology. It has been divided into six chapters for easy understanding of the mycological aspects. In it, chapters 2 to 5 deal with the clinical units of mycoses. Each of this chapter starts with a clinical based case study to highlight the key aspects to be followed by other aspects related to case theme/examination assessment. Section XVI deals with Clinical Microbiology. In it, chapters 2 to 8 deal with the infectious diseases of various anatomical system of the body. Each chapter starts with relevant quotation and has clinical based integrated studies in Q-A format. Section XVII deals with Applied Microbiology and has 11 chapters. Each chapter starts with opening vignette/integrated clinical case based studies in Q-A format and has relevant quotations. At places it appears that information is getting duplicated, this is a deliberate attempt to reinforce some important information to the undergraduates, so that they remember it! The author has seen that many times students are not able to understand and retain the basic information, the material has been so arranged and depicted, that the student overcomes this difficulty and develops confidence. To ensure that the novice student does not get lost in vi Textbook of Microbiology the sea of microbiological information, all chapters have question and answer format (except those tabulating key microbiological information) and all sections are referenced with a list of key examination/assessment questions (to which references/answers are provided). This approach would be helpful especially to students, who lack command on the English language, but have to clear the examination in the English language.