About this ebook
This Element is an excerpt from Germs, Genes, & Civilization: How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today (9780137019960) by David P. Clark. Available in print and digital formats.
¿Meet the “opportunists”: the microbes that are poised on the edge of invading you right now.
¿Consider disease from the microbe’s viewpoint. Infectious agents vary greatly in their ability to cause harm. Before discussing “professional” diseases, don’t forget the “opportunists.” When a person is weakened by injury, exposure, or starvation, or if the immune system is malfunctioning, otherwise harmless microbes may cause disease. Such opportunistic diseases have received much attention in connection with AIDS.
About the author
David P. Clark is Professor in the Microbiology Department at Southern Illinois University. He has published 70+ articles in scientific journals and is author of several college textbooks, including Brock Biology of Microorganisms, now in its 12th edition; Molecular Biology Made Simple and Fun, now in its 3rd edition; Molecular Biology: Understanding the Genetic Revolution; and Biotechnology: Applying the Genetic Revolution. Clark earned his Ph.D. from Bristol University in 1977. His research has focused on antibiotic resistance and the genetics and regulation of bacterial fermentation.
