Infection & Immunity - Fourth Edition

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Our immune system is a complex network of cells continually battling against a barrage of attacks from our environment, quite literally to save our lives. But how what protects us from the potentially life-threatening microorganisms that surround us every day? In the lucid, accessible style for which John Playfair is renowned, and together with Greg Bancroft, an expert in infectious diseases, Infection and Immunity explains how our immune system defends us. The authors describe the main causes of infection that our bodies have to battle against - from bacteria to viruses, fungi to protozoa - and explains the intricate and fascinating ways in which we respond, from detection of potentially dangerous organisms to their ultimate elimination - sometimes, unfortunately, suffering new pathological symptoms in the process. Presenting a fully-rounded, well-balanced overview of the field, the book also explains how diseases spread, and what measures we can take to control this spread - from vaccination to increasing awareness through public health initiatives. With examples of infectious diseases from across the world, Infection and Immunity is the ideal text for biomedical science, bioscience, and microbiology students who need to understand the basics of what causes infection, and how our immune systems respond.