Introduction: How tiny creatures make a huge impact
Intimate friends. The tree of life ; It's a microbial world ; The human microbiome ; Departments of bodily defense ; It's all connected: the health of humans, animals, and our planet
Mortal enemies. What has plagued us? ; Killer viruses ; The buzz on mosquito-borne infections ; Microbes in flight: birds and bats ; Don't breathe this air ; Microbes in the woods ; What's in the beef? ; Gut reactions ; When beauty isn't skin deep ; The perils of antibiotic misuse
Germs in the future. The straight poop on fecal transplants ; Healing with friendly bacteria and fungi ; Healing with friendly viruses ; The future of vaccines ; Microbes and the sixty extinction ; Science, ignorance, and mystery
Appendix: Landmark discoveries and notable germs.