Book excerpt: Encyclopedia of Infection and Immunity provides new insights into the interactions between bacteria, fungi, parasites and their hosts. Specific areas of interest include host cellular and immune response to microbes, molecular mechanisms of action of beneficial microbes or host-associated microbial communities, microbial pathogenesis, virulence factors, experimental models of infection, host resistance or susceptibility, and the generation of innate and adaptive immune responses. Comprised of over 200 chapters written and edited by leading experts in the field, this book will serve as a key resource for students, researchers, academics and industry practitioners in the fields of microbiology, immunology, and infectious diseases. More than 100 years after Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur established the microbial etiology of communicable diseases, the field of microbiology is experiencing a second period of rapid growth and expansion, driven by the realization that changes in host-associated microbial communities might be at the root of a broad spectrum of noncommunicable human diseases. These advances follow on the heels of recent progress in high-throughput sequencing technology, which has provided a wealth of information on the human microbiome and its physiological potential. Offers a contemporary review of current infection and immunity research, and insights into the future direction of the field Meticulously researched and cross-referenced to allow students, researchers and professionals to find relevant information quickly and easily Includes chapters written by academics and practitioners from various fields and regions, ensuring that the knowledge within is easily understood by, and applicable to, a large audience