The first edition of this book, published in 1995, established itself as the most popular practical guide to frequently used procedures in clinical microbiology laboratories. Because that book and this new edition describe methods in the order in which they would be encountered in the laboratory it is the perfect bench companion, both for the novice in clinical microbiology, and the eperienced microbiologist who needs to confirm a detail. This new edition, extensively up-dated, encapsulates the practical experience of a group of expert clinical microbiologists and scientists imparting valuable tips and solutions to both the methodology and interpretation of clinical microbiology results. The book represents a state of the art training aid for the diagnostic microbiology laboratory, and will prove to be an invaluable aid to microbiologists preparing for higher professional examinations such as membership of the Royal College of Pathologists and the American Board of Medical Microbiology.