Book excerpt: SECTION I: BASICS OF MICROBIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 1. Rational Antimicrobial Therapy: Need of the Hour 2. Basics of Microbiologic Diagnosis 3. Antimicrobial Resistance: Current Scenario 4. Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Antimicrobials 5. Penicillins and Monobactams 6. Cephalosporins 7. Carbapenems 8. Beta-lactam and Beta-lactamase Inhibitor Combinations 9. Aminoglycosides 10. Macrolides and Azalides 11. Quinolones 12. Glycopeptides, Lipopeptides, Oxazolidinones, and Glycolipopeptides 13. Polymyxins, Newer Tetracyclines and Fosfomycin 14. Miscellaneous Antibacterial Drugs SECTION II: ANTIMICROBIAL THERAPY OF INFECTIONS 15. General Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy 16. Practicing Rational Antimicrobial Therapy 17. Antimicrobial Therapy in Acute Gastroenteritis 18. Antimicrobial Therapy in Intra-abdominal Infections 19. Antimicrobial Therapy in Upper Respiratory Tract Infections 20. Antimicrobial Therapy in Lower Respiratory Tract Infections 21. Antitubercular Therapy 22. Antimicrobial Therapy in Enteric Fever 23. Antimicrobial Therapy in Urinary Tract Infections 24. Antimicrobial Therapy in Skin and Soft Tissue Infections 25. Antimicrobial Therapy in Skeletal Infections 26. Antimicrobial Therapy in Central Nervous System Infections 27. Antimicrobial Therapy in Infective Endocarditis 28. Antimicrobial Therapy in Neonatal Sepsis 29. Antimicrobial Therapy in Septic Shock 30. Antimicrobial Therapy of Healthcare-associated Infections 31. Antimicrobial Therapy in Febrile Neutropenia 32. Antimicrobial Prophylaxis 33. Antimalarial Therapy 34. Antiretroviral Therapy 35. Anthelminthic Therapy 36. Antiviral Therapy 37. Antifungal Therapy 38. Antimicrobial Therapy of Assorted Infections SECTION III: CASE SCENARIOS OF ANTIMICROBIAL THERAPY 39. Rational Antimicrobial Therapy--Illustrative Cases SECTION IV: READY RECKONER FOR ANTIMICROBIAL DRUGS 40. Antimicrobial Formulary Index