Living with Germs

Features
- The clearest and most accessible book on immunology on the market
- An up-to-date, authoritative account of the workings of the immune system and the way it copes with pathogens, the microbes that make us ill
- Timely and topical: diseases caused by 'germs', from HIV to SARS, are rarely out of the news
- Abundant anecdotal and autobiographical material brings the story to life
- A highly regarded and influential author: John Playfair was Chairman of the Immunology Department at University
- College Hospital, where he established the immunology course, and he has written widely on the subjects of infection and immunity

The vast majority of germs, also known as microbes, do not infect us at all: it is pathogens that make us ill. These include bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, worms, and prions. In Living with Germs, renowned expert John Playfair vividly describes these pathogens and the defence mechanisms by which we come to terms with them, whether by eliminating them, stopping them from eliminating us, or simply learning to live with them. A fascinating, occasionally gruesome, but always utterly compelling read.

Contents/contributors
Preface
Living with Germs
1 Introduction: infection and immunity
2 Pathogens
3 Defence and immunity
4 The pathogens fight back
5 Symptoms, disease, pathology
6 Immunodeficiency
7 Controlling pathogens
8 A look ahead
Glossary
Further Reading
Index