A clinically focused, no-nonsense pocket book to the key elements of microbiology and infection. A must-have guide to stop common and often unnecessary mistakes that occur in everyday medicine and antibiotic prescribing. This book is divided into six parts: Basic Concepts - covers the background information healthcare staff need to know in order to understand infections, what microorganisms cause them and where they come from, as well as how to diagnose infections. Microbiology - explains how to investigate patients with infections and how to make the best use of a laboratory microbiology service. Infection Control - provides the knowledge healthcare staff need in order to safely manage patients with transmissible infections without spreading these infections to either themselves or other patients. Clinical Scenarios - gives details of the common and important infections which patients present with, arranged in body systems to make them simple to follow. Antibiotics - explains how to prescribe safely, how to review antibiotics and what to do if patients are failing to respond to treatment, as well as empirical guidelines and information about individual antibiotics. Emergencies - covers the life threatening infections, which all doctors cannot afford to miss, and how to manage them. "Finally there is an easy microbiology book which helps doctors to understand infections without having to be a microbiologist" (Hospital FY2 doctor) "I love this book! Like my patients, this book presents with clinical conditions and symptoms not bacteria" (General Practitioner)