Main themes of microbiology -- Chemistry of biology -- Tools of the laboratory: the methods for studying microorganisms -- Prokaryotic profiles: the bacteria and archaea -- Eukaryotic cells and microorganisms -- Introduction to the viruses -- Microbial nutrition, ecology, and growth -- Microbial metabolism: the chemical crossroads of life -- Microbial genetics -- Genetic engineering and recombinant DNA -- Physical and chemical control of microbes -- Drugs, microbes, host: the elements of chemotherapy -- Microbe-human interactions: infection and disease -- Host defenses I: overview and nonspecific defenses -- Host defenses II: specific immunity and immunization -- Disorders in immunity -- Diagnosing infections -- Infectious diseases affecting the skin and eyes -- Infectious diseases affecting the nervous system -- Infectious diseases affecting the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems -- Infectious diseases affecting the respiratory system -- Infectious diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract -- Infectious diseases affecting the genitourinary system -- Environmental microbiology -- Applied microbiology and food and water safety