Communicable Diseases

Kay Weisman

Harris provides basic information about contagious illnesses, including how the are transmitted, how the body responds, and what methods can be used to treat and prevent them. Individual chapters discuss the major groups of human pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites), explaining how they operate in the body as well as the symptoms and treatment of the specific ailments these microbes cause. A final chapter details current medical research on infectious diseases. Boxed text, diagrams, and photos add up to an attractive, nonthreatening format that will appeal to students new to the topic. The most important information can be found in the text, however, and alert readers will notice that several of the diagrams are merely rehashes of material already explained. Appended with an index, glossary, and list of further reading, this is an acceptable choice for young report writers.