The World of Infectious Disease
There is a constant life and death struggle going on all around you. It is on you and in you and as long as you are winning the battle you are not even aware of it. But your life and your ability to enjoy life are totally dependent upon your ability to constantly and consistently wage war and defeat the enemy that you cannot see.
We are not alone on this planet. There are approximately six billion people and for every person there are billions of infectious agents trying their best to elude their immune system to make them part of their food chain. These billions of microbiological agents are commonly know as bugs, germs, parasites, and microbes and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Most are harmless to us and may even benefit us. But many others survive and thrive by causing infections and diseases at our expense. These microbes that cause disease are referred to as pathogens.
May/June 2002 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 15, Number 3
