The daily headlines continue to reflect and emphasize the necessity for expertise in the field of infection. 'E. coli contaminated meat', 'West Nile Virus spreads', 'White Powder discovered', 'Bacteria specific viral lysins may hold key to new class of antibiotics', 'Hope for new AIDS vaccine trial' are just a few examples. New chapters are devoted to the rapidly emerging technologies that aid in the diagnosis and treatment of infection, the horrifying but real threat of biowarfare, and the role of the entire medical team, not just the ID doc. in combating infections. Content has been revised and updated to reflect current knowledge and understanding of infectious disease processes. The emphasis on the sound foundation of how to explore and discover new information is retained.