Book excerpt: Essentials of Public Health Microbiology is a practical, applied textbook that examines how infectious disease is transmitted through a population, how it is monitored, and how preventative measures are designed. Major topics include the purification of water, the treatment of wastewater, food microbiology, sexually transmitted diseases, and the methods used to survey populations. A variety of learning tools, including historical perspectives, case studies, government internet databases, and explanatory figures help the student to understand the critical concepts of microbiology as they are applied to improve health and prevent disease across populations. Designed for students who have had a first course in general microbiology, this one-of-a-kind textbook is ideal for upper level undergraduates and graduates in public health and environmental health, as well as environmental engineering, hydrology, and civil engineering. The text is accompanied by a complete package of instructor resources including Instructor’s Manual, TestBank, and PowerPoint slides available at http://go.jblearning.com/burlage.