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An Introduction to Infectious Diseases  By  cover art

An Introduction to Infectious Diseases

By: Barry C. Fox, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Barry C. Fox
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Publisher's summary

Infectious diseases touch the lives of everyone on the planet. Whether it's something as minor as a brush with the common cold or as serious as Ebola, we all have grappled with infections and will continue to encounter them as we age.

On a worldwide scale, infectious diseases account for 26 percent of all deaths, second only to cardiovascular diseases. And unlike chronic diseases, infectious diseases are unique in their potential for explosive global impacts.

Now, in the 24 engaging lectures of Introduction to Infectious Diseases, you can get a comprehensive overview of diseases from the mundane to the fatal from renowned physician and award-winning professor Dr. Barry Fox.

Begin with an overview of the microscopic particles responsible for disease: bacteria, fungi, hybrid germs, and viruses. You will see how they invade the body; look through the microscope at pathogens to identify their inner components; follow germs through to different body systems and see what effects they have; and learn why we may be losing the battle against some germs.

Cut through the medical myths and get a solidly scientific guide to keeping yourself and your loved ones as protected as possible from pathogens, including a no-nonsense guide to vaccinations, tips on keeping a healthier home environment, and valuable advice for world travelers.

Whether you have a love for biology, a curiosity about the world's many infectious diseases, or a certain amount of trepidation about what the future holds, you will enjoy Dr. Fox's impeccable bedside manner, insider knowledge, and humorous personal stories. And, most importantly, you will be empowered to make the best choices for yourself, your loved ones, and future generations.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2015 The Great Courses (P)2015 The Teaching Company, LLC

What listeners say about An Introduction to Infectious Diseases

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easy to understand intro to infectious diseases

If you could sum up An Introduction to Infectious Diseases in three words, what would they be?

informative, accessible, entertaining

Any additional comments?

These lectures explain bacteria, viruses, even the effectiveness of antibiotics and hygiene products. If you have interest on how these little intruders work and how to reduce your risk then I definitely would recommend this.

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16 people found this helpful

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Interesting and terrifying!

I have a Master's in public health so I was already fairly well-versed compared to the average listener. However, I still learned a lot myself and it would be a great overview for someone new and interested in the field!

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Em
  • 09-20-16

Too basic

this isn't college level material. this might be good for elementary school children but not someone who's seriously interested

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13 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

Great intro content, needs some editing.

This was a great introduction that seemed to cover everything I would expect. My only complaint was that the narration seemed to lack editing. There were several occasions where the narrator reread a sentence or paragraph to correct prior mistakes, but the prior reading had not been removed.

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9 people found this helpful

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Informative and Very Modern and Well Presented

All about Viruses, Bacteria, Molds, fungus, parasites, germs, antibiotics, vaccines, bioterrorism and Historical Cases of illness. For a detailed outline of what is covered you can go to the "Great Courses" website.

The Presentation is Well delivered and very informative. It is basic information, nothing very advanced but I still learned quite a bit. The lecturer strikes a nice balance between basic knowledge, technical knowledge, practical advice, historical content and personal experiences. Not the most entertaining style but better than average.

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9 people found this helpful

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Great Job

Interesting, up to date, and very informative. The concepts are presented clearly and the author does a good job of keeping the pace up.

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9 people found this helpful

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Full of information

I really enjoyed An Introduction to Infectious Diseases. There is a lot of information and anecdotes in this course, but don’t worry, it won’t turn you into a germaphobe. If you’re already a germaphobe (like myself) it won’t make it worse either.

There is something about the lecturer, though. His speech made it difficult to listen to this book for long periods of time. There are some slip ups and mumbling, but that is not the issue. He often pauses right in the middle of a sentences and between words, and it happens consistently. It becomes fairly aggravating after a while. I listened to this Great Course little by little because of the stilted narration.

I still highly recommend this course despite the lacking narration. It flows nicely and it is easy to follow. Each lectures is in depth discussions about a different topic. I learned a lot about infectious diseases, and many of the anecdotes are relevant and entertaining.

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4 people found this helpful

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Life before COVID-19.

Clear, concise, informative, interesting. I'm nurse and I enjoyed learning and being reminded of the little critters that are everywhere. The instructor spoke clearly and was well paced. A detracting part was one of the chapters/lessons had a section that was repeated word for word. The last chapter also was quite interesting when he talked about the next pandemic. I don't recall the year that this came out but it was before COVID. The Corona virus wasn't ruled out but it was considered less likely to be the next pandemic. Interesting. However, he did discuss how it could affect the world economy; that was pretty much spot on.

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3 people found this helpful

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Greater understanding of covid 2021

I am studying this in 2021 amidst the covid lockdown. It helps me understand better the actions undertaken, the shortcomings and possible scenarios to come. This has been a century of pandemics: humans vs bacteria, germs, virus and fungi..

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3 people found this helpful

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Easy to understand medicine

Here's a professor so well versed in medicine, the cause and spread of infectious diseases and how to prevent them. Surprisingly, most serious illnesses can be prevented by using simple, quick precautions most people don't pay attention to. In that regard, this course is golden.

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3 people found this helpful