Includes bibliographical references and index.

The microbial world : surprising and stunning -- Microbes in perspective : of collectors and classifiers -- Molecules of the cell : the building blocks of life -- The DNA story : germs, genes, and genomics -- Bacteria : the first microbes -- Viruses : at the threshold of life -- Protists : a microbial grab bag -- Fungi : yeasts and warm fuzzies -- Growth and metabolism : running the microbial machine -- Microbial genetics : new genes for the germs -- Controlling mechanisms : not too hot to handle -- Microbes and food : a menu of microbial delights -- Food preservation and safety : the competition -- Biotechnology and industry : microbes at work -- Microbes and agriculture : no microbes, no hamburgers -- Microbes and the environment : no microbes, no life -- Disease and resistance : the wars within -- Viral diseases of humans : AIDS to Zoster -- Bacterial diseases of humans : slate-wipers and current concerns.

Revised and updated to reflected new information in the field, the third edition of Alcamo's Microbes and Society is intended for liberal arts students taking a foundation course in the life sciences. It discusses the role of microbes in our everyday lives, from food production to their roll in biotechnology and the numerous other ways that microbes contribute to our world. It goes on to explore such topics as the function of microbes in ecological systems and environmental systems. Coverage of bioterrorism, antibiotic resistance, and microbial disease offer students a broad and current perspective of the extensive impact of various microbes.