Publisher's Synopsis
Lectures in Microbiology is a succinct guide, tailored to the CBME curriculum, that aims to equip undergraduate students with relevant knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and responsiveness to be able to function as a physician of first contact. It has been written bearing in mind the reduction in teaching hours as well as revised teaching modalities. The book's content focuses on providing a better understanding of the interactions between microbes and humans, prevention of infection by general measures, immunoprophylaxis or chemoprophylaxis, as well as prevention of hospital-acquired infections through safe practices in healthcare settings. It also seeks to aid in the development of the skill required to: Collect an optimal sample from a patient for microbiological investigation Interpret the result of a microbiology investigation to diagnose an infectious disease in accordance with national programmes Choose an appropriate antimicrobial agent to treat an infection and prevent the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in accordance with the National Treatment Guidelines. The textbook comprises 10 broad sections: Section I deals with general microbiologic concepts and Section II with immunology. Section III elaborates on musculoskeletal, skin and soft tissue infections, with each chapter focusing on different manifestations. Sections IV and V, which focus on cardiovascular system and blood infections and gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary infections, respectively, present up-to-date information on the morphology, life cycle and pathogenesis of individual organisms. The clinical features, diagnosis, management and prevention of the diseases caused by them have also been discussed. Simple life cycle illustrations and microphotographs have been provided for easy learning. Section VI focuses on central nervous system infections and Section VII on respiratory tract infections, including up-to-date information on COVID-19. Section VIII elaborates on genitourinary and sexually transmitted infections. Section IX deals with zoonoses, vector-borne diseases, as well as opportunistic, oncogenic, perinatal, teratogenic, emerging and ocular infections. Section X seeks to provide a better understanding of hospital-acquired infections. The uniqueness of Lectures in Microbiology lies in its simplicity and highly focused approach, and its avoidance of content meant for postgraduates. It uses tables to highlight important data, as well as clinical case studies, illustrations, photographs and SAQs to aid in revision and exam preparation. The book's straightforward approach is sure to facilitate easy learning and make for pleasant reading.
