"This book is largely based upon lectures given to medical and dental students for the past 26 years at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University"--Pref.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part I: Dynamics of infection -- Characteristics of pathogenic microorganisms -- Microbe-host interaction -- Part II: Respiratory tract infections -- Overview of upper respiratory tract infections -- Repiratory viruses -- Streptococci -- Haemophilus influenzae -- Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis -- Corynebacterium diphtheriae -- Overview of lower respiratory tract infections -- Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pneumococcus) -- Mycoplasmas -- Bordetella pertussis -- Legionella -- Mycobacteria -- Fungal agents of pulmonary infection -- Part III: Cardiovascular infections -- Overview of cardiovascular infections -- Nonhemolytic streptococci and enterococci -- Part IV: Central nervous system infections -- Overview of central nervous system infections -- Neisseria -- Viral agents of central nervous system infection -- Cryptococcus neoformans -- Neurotoxic clostridia -- Part V: Skin and subcutaneous infections -- Overview of skin and subcutaneous infections -- Staphylococci -- Bacterial agents of skin and subcutaneous infections -- Fungal agents of skin and subcutaneous infections -- Viral agents of skin infections -- Part VI: Infections of muscle, bone and joints -- Overview of muscle, bone and joint infections -- Histotoxic Clostridia -- Part VII: Gastrointestinal infections -- Overview of gastrointestinal infections -- Agents of food-borne gastroenteritis -- Bacteria causing acute secretory diarrhea -- Bacteria causing acute dysentery -- Other bacterial agents of gastrointestinal disease -- Viral agents of gastroenteritis -- Viral hepatitis -- Part VIII: Genital infections -- Overview of genital infections -- Neisseria gonorrhoeae -- Chlamydia -- Ureaplasma urealyticum -- Haemophilus ducreyi -- Agents of vaginitis -- Part IX: Urinary tract infections -- Overview of urinary tract infections -- Uropathogenic bacteria -- Part X: Oral Infections -- Overview of oral infections -- Agents of dental caries and periodontal disease -- Mumps and bacterial parotitis -- Part XI: Multisystem infections -- Overview of multisystem infections -- Bacterial agents of multisystem infections -- Spirochetes -- Rickettsia and Richettsia-like organisms -- Viral exanthems -- Other viral agents of multisystem disease -- Part XII: Opportunistic infections and the compromised host -- Overview of opportunistic infections -- Bacterial opportunists -- Fungal opportunists -- Viral opportunists -- Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome -- Part XIII: Diagnostic approach to infectious disease -- Fever of undetermined origin -- Using the diagnostic microbiology laboratory -- Part XIV: Antimicrobial therapy -- Chemotherapy of infectious diseases.