This fully revised and up-to-date edition of this classic bench book continues to provide definitive guidance to traditional and conventional microbiological techniques, as well as recent innovations and automated methods for the isolation, identification and testing of bacteria and fungi of medical, public health and food hygiene importance. This edition also covers the safe handling of, and legal issues relating to work with, pathogenic micro-organisms.The highly-regarded author group, now expanded to provide a North American perspective, have once again provided a comprehensive text, not only of methods, but also the media in which the bacteria are cultivated, and a succinct chapter on each bacterium and genus.