Case Studies in Infectious Disease

Case Studies in Infectious Disease presents forty case studies featuring the most important human infectious diseases worldwide. Written for students of microbiology and medicine this book describes the natural history of infection from point of entry of the pathogen through pathogenesis, followed by clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment. Five core sets of questions are posed in each case. What is the nature of the infectious agent, how does it gain access to the body, what cells are infected, and how does the organism spread? What are the host defense mechanisms against the agent and how is the disease caused? What are the typical manifestations of the infection and the complications that can occur? How is the infection diagnosed and what is the differential diagnosis? How is the infection managed, and what preventative measures can be taken to avoid infection? This standardized approach provides the reader with a logical basis for understanding these diverse and medically important organisms, fully integrating microbiology and immunology throughout.