Microbes play a constant roll in our everyday lives, and food-borne infections and emerging infectious diseases are often a major public health concern. Extensively revised and updated with the latest data in this fast-paced field, the third edition of The Microbial Challenge, A Public Health Perspective presents a modern look at human-microbe interactions and considers those that are disease producers and how humans can live in harmony with micobes. With a strong emphasis on human disease, this text fully explores bacterial and viral diseases, how our immune system responses to them, and what we can do to prevent further outbreaks and control potentially life threatening epidemics. This edition includes new information on culturing bacteria, molecular diagnostics, vaccinations, disinfection, and immune compromised people and emerging diseases. New feature boxes throughout the text detail human interest items and make interesting, real-world material come alive for readers.