Close Encounters of the Microbial Kind: Everything You Need to Know About Common Infections [1st ed.] 9783030569778, 3030569772, 9783030569785

Perfect for anyone who is curious or concerned about everyday infections An in-depth and fascinating look at common infe

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Michael Wilson
Philippa J.K. Wilson

Table of contents :
Preface......Page 7
Disclaimer......Page 6
Contents......Page 9
About the Authors......Page 12
Part I: Introduction to Microbiology and Infectious Diseases......Page 13
1: Microbes and Infectious Diseases......Page 14
What Are Microbes?......Page 16
What Are the Main Types of Microbe?......Page 19
What Do Microbes Look Like?......Page 20
How Do We Identify Microbes?......Page 25
Humans and Their Microbiota: A Fascinating Symbiosis......Page 29
Microbes and Disease......Page 32
Our Treacherous Companions......Page 36
Our Epithelium Is Our First-Line Defence Against Microbes......Page 39
Mucosal Surfaces of the Body: Slime Is Good......Page 42
How Do We Manage to Co-exist with Our Microbiota?......Page 43
What Happens if We Get an Infection?......Page 45
What Drugs Can We Take to Fight Off an Infection?......Page 50
How Do Microbes Cause Damage to Our Body?......Page 54
The Drugs Don’t Work: The Microbes Fight Back......Page 55
How Can We Avoid Catching an Infectious Disease?......Page 56
Infectious Diseases......Page 59
Part II: Skin Infections......Page 60
Acne: What Is It?......Page 61
What Causes Acne and Its Symptoms?......Page 63
What Kind of Microbe Is Cut. acnes?......Page 66
How Is Acne Diagnosed?......Page 70
How Is Acne Treated?......Page 71
Want to Know More?......Page 72
What Are Boils and Abscesses?......Page 74
Which Microbe Causes Boils and How Does It Produce Them?......Page 80
How Can We Treat Boils and Prevent Them from Occurring?......Page 89
Want to Know More?......Page 91
Dandruff: What Is It?......Page 92
Complications......Page 98
How Common Is Dandruff?......Page 99
What Causes Dandruff?......Page 101
How Do These Fungi Cause Dandruff?......Page 102
How Can I Avoid Getting Dandruff?......Page 105
Want to Know More?......Page 107
5: Fungal Nail Infections......Page 108
What Is Onychomycosis?......Page 109
What Causes the Disease?......Page 111
How Can It Be Treated?......Page 116
How Can I Avoid Getting the Disease?......Page 117
Want to Know More?......Page 118
What Is a Dermatophyte Infection?......Page 119
Who Are Most Likely to Get a Dermatophyte Infection?......Page 123
Which Microbes Are Responsible?......Page 124
How Are These Diseases Diagnosed?......Page 127
How Can I Avoid Becoming Infected?......Page 128
Want to Know More?......Page 129
7: Chickenpox......Page 130
What Are the Symptoms of Chickenpox?......Page 131
Are There Any Complications of Chickenpox?......Page 134
What Causes Chickenpox?......Page 135
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 137
How Can I Avoid Getting Chickenpox?......Page 140
Want to Know More?......Page 141
8: Shingles......Page 143
What Is Shingles?......Page 144
What Are the Complications?......Page 147
What Happens During an Episode of Shingles?......Page 148
How Can I Avoid Getting Shingles?......Page 149
Want to Know More?......Page 150
9: Common Warts......Page 152
Who Gets Warts?......Page 153
How Common Are Warts?......Page 154
Are There Any Complications?......Page 156
What Causes Warts?......Page 157
How Are Warts Diagnosed?......Page 159
How Are Warts Treated?......Page 160
Want to Know More?......Page 161
Part III: Infections of the Respiratory System......Page 162
10: The Common Cold......Page 163
The Common Cold: What Is It?......Page 164
Which Viruses Are Responsible for the Infection?......Page 166
What About Complications?......Page 170
How Are Colds Treated?......Page 173
How Can I Avoid Getting a Cold?......Page 174
Want to Know More?......Page 176
What Is Influenza?......Page 178
What Causes Influenza?......Page 180
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 182
How Is Influenza Treated?......Page 185
How Can I Avoid Getting Influenza?......Page 186
Want to Know More?......Page 187
12: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)......Page 188
What Are the Symptoms of the Disease?......Page 189
How Common Is It?......Page 191
Which Microbe Causes the Disease?......Page 192
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 193
How Is the Disease Treated?......Page 194
How Can I Avoid Getting COVID-19?......Page 196
Want to Know More?......Page 198
What Are the Main Causes of a Sore Throat?......Page 200
What Are the Main Symptoms of Strep Throat (Streptococcal Pharyngitis)?......Page 201
Who Gets Strep Throat, and How Is It Transmitted?......Page 203
What About Complications?......Page 204
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 206
How Is Strep Throat Diagnosed?......Page 208
How Is Strep Throat Treated?......Page 210
What Is Glandular Fever?......Page 211
What Happens if I Get Glandular Fever?......Page 212
Want to Know More?......Page 214
What Is Sinusitis?......Page 216
How Common Is the Disease?......Page 218
What Causes Rhinosinusitis?......Page 219
How Is Acute Rhinosinusitis Diagnosed?......Page 225
How Is Acute Rhinosinusitis Treated?......Page 226
Want to Know More?......Page 227
What Is Chronic Sinusitis?......Page 228
How Common Is the Disease?......Page 230
How Is the Disease Diagnosed?......Page 231
How Is the Disease Treated?......Page 232
Want to Know More?......Page 233
16: Middle Ear Infections......Page 235
What Is Acute Otitis Media?......Page 236
Which Microbes Cause Otitis Media?......Page 237
How Is the Condition Diagnosed?......Page 240
How Can the Disease Be Avoided?......Page 243
Want to Know More?......Page 244
What Is Swimmer’s Ear?......Page 245
How Common Is the Disease?......Page 247
Which Microbes Cause Acute Otitis Externa?......Page 248
How Is the Disease Treated?......Page 251
How Can I Avoid Getting the Condition?......Page 252
Want to Know More?......Page 253
What Is Acute Bronchitis?......Page 254
How Common Is It?......Page 256
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 257
How Can I Avoid Getting Bronchitis?......Page 260
Want to Know More?......Page 261
Part IV: Infections of the Eye......Page 262
What Is Conjunctivitis?......Page 263
Which Bacteria Are Responsible for Conjunctivitis?......Page 266
Which Viruses Cause Conjunctivitis?......Page 267
Want to Know More?......Page 269
Part V: Infections of the Oral Cavity......Page 271
20: Tooth Decay......Page 272
What Is Dental Caries?......Page 273
How Common Is Dental Caries?......Page 275
What Microbes Are Responsible for Caries?......Page 276
How Do Bacteria Cause Tooth Decay?......Page 277
How Is Dental Caries Treated?......Page 285
How Can I Avoid Getting Caries?......Page 286
Want to Know More?......Page 289
21: Gum Diseases......Page 291
What Is Gingivitis?......Page 292
What Causes Gingivitis?......Page 294
How Is Gingivitis Treated?......Page 295
How Can I Avoid Getting Gingivitis?......Page 296
What Is Chronic Periodontitis?......Page 297
What Causes Chronic Periodontitis?......Page 300
How Is Chronic Periodontitis Treated?......Page 303
Want to Know More?......Page 305
22: Bad Breath......Page 307
How Common Is Halitosis?......Page 308
Which Microbes Are Responsible for Halitosis?......Page 309
How Is Halitosis Treated?......Page 310
How Can I Avoid Having Bad Breath?......Page 316
Want to Know More?......Page 317
What Is Oral Candidiasis?......Page 319
What Are the Risk Factors for These Conditions?......Page 322
How Common Is It?......Page 324
How Is the Disease Treated?......Page 325
How Can I Avoid Getting Oral Candidiasis?......Page 327
Want to Know More?......Page 328
What Is Oral Herpes?......Page 330
Are There Any Complications?......Page 334
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 336
How Is the Disease Diagnosed?......Page 338
How Is It Treated?......Page 339
Want to Know More?......Page 340
Part VI: Infections of the Genito-Urinary System......Page 341
25: Cystitis......Page 342
What Is Cystitis?......Page 343
How Are We Protected from UTIs?......Page 345
Which Microbes Cause Cystitis?......Page 346
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 348
How Is Cystitis Diagnosed?......Page 351
How Can I Avoid Getting Cystitis?......Page 353
Want to Know More?......Page 355
26: Vaginitis......Page 356
What Is Vaginitis?......Page 357
Which Microbes Cause the Disease?......Page 358
How Common Is BV?......Page 359
Which Microbes Are Responsible for BV?......Page 361
What Is Vaginal Candidiasis?......Page 364
How Common Is VC?......Page 366
Complications of VC......Page 367
What Is Trichomoniasis?......Page 368
What Kind of Microbe Is T. vaginalis?......Page 369
How Is the Disease Treated?......Page 371
Want to Know More?......Page 372
What Is Chlamydia?......Page 374
What Are the Main Symptoms?......Page 375
How Common Is It?......Page 377
What Microbe Causes Chlamydia?......Page 378
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 381
How Is Chlamydia Treated?......Page 382
How Can I Avoid Getting Chlamydia?......Page 383
Want to Know More?......Page 385
28: Gonorrhoea......Page 386
What Is Gonorrhoea?......Page 387
What Are the Risks of Getting Gonorrhoea?......Page 389
How Common Is the Disease?......Page 390
What Causes Gonorrhoea?......Page 391
What Happens during an Infection?......Page 393
How Is the Infection Treated?......Page 395
Want to Know More?......Page 398
29: Genital Herpes......Page 400
What Is Genital Herpes?......Page 401
Are There Any Complications?......Page 403
What Are the Risk Factors Associated with the Disease?......Page 404
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 405
How Is Genital Herpes Diagnosed?......Page 406
How Can I Avoid Getting Genital Herpes?......Page 407
Want to Know More?......Page 408
What Are Genital Warts?......Page 410
Are There Any Complications?......Page 412
How Common Is the Disease?......Page 413
How Is the Disease Treated?......Page 414
Want to Know More?......Page 416
31: Syphilis......Page 418
What Is Syphilis?......Page 419
What Are the Symptoms of the Disease?......Page 420
How Common Is It?......Page 424
What Is T. pallidum?......Page 425
How Is Syphilis Diagnosed?......Page 426
How Is Syphilis Treated?......Page 427
How Can I Avoid Getting Syphilis?......Page 429
Want to Know More?......Page 430
Part VII: Infections of the Gastrointestinal System......Page 432
32: Gastroenteritis Due to Campylobacter......Page 433
What Is Diarrhoea and What Are the Main Causes?......Page 434
What Is Campylobacteriosis?......Page 435
How Common Is Campylobacteriosis?......Page 436
Which Microbes Cause Campylobacteriosis?......Page 437
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 439
How Is Campylobacteriosis Treated?......Page 441
Want to Know More?......Page 443
33: Gastroenteritis Due to Salmonella......Page 445
What Is Salmonellosis?......Page 446
Are There Any Complications of the Infection?......Page 447
How Common Is It?......Page 448
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 449
How Is the Disease Diagnosed?......Page 452
How Is Salmonellosis Treated?......Page 453
How Can I Avoid Getting Salmonellosis?......Page 454
Want to Know More?......Page 455
What Are the Main Symptoms?......Page 456
How Common Is the Disease?......Page 457
What Type of Microbe Is Cl. perfringens?......Page 458
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 460
How Is the Disease Diagnosed?......Page 461
How Is the Disease Prevented?......Page 463
Want to Know More?......Page 464
35: Gastroenteritis Due to Norovirus......Page 466
Are There Any Complications?......Page 467
How Common Is It?......Page 468
How Can I Catch It?......Page 469
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 471
How Can I Avoid a Norovirus Infection?......Page 474
Want to Know More?......Page 475
What Are the Main Features of Rotavirus Infections?......Page 477
Are There Any Complications?......Page 478
What Happens During an Infection?......Page 479
How Is the Infection Diagnosed?......Page 481
How Can I Avoid the Disease?......Page 482
Want to Know More?......Page 484
Glossary......Page 486
Index......Page 491