The hidden dangers surrounding us.

Despite the confident strides of modern science, the threat of deadly unseen organisms such as viruses, bacteria and fungi still grip the imagination with their ferocious intensity.

For instance, resistant strains of bacteria can now survive the strongest antibiotics and deadly new biological weapons are being cooked up in laboratories worldwide.

Microterrors explores these threats as well as humanity's greatest living rivals that have been on the planet far longer than we have.

The introduction covers terms, definitions and a brief natural history, including the role of viruses in human evolution, as well as bioengineering and biological weapons. Microterrors then presents the truly terrifying rogues' gallery of invisible killers.

Dramatic life-like digital illustrations and computer-colored electron images provide mug book profiles of hundreds of naturally occurring and bioengineered microterrors, including:

• Ebola, bubonic plague, cholera, malaria
• Bacteria: pneumonia, anthrax, botulism
• Viruses: HIV, hepatitis, common cold
• Fungi and blood and tissue diseases.

Each entry includes concise facts such as date of discovery and place of origin, period of incubation, symptoms and length of suffering, likelihood of death, treatments, vaccines and cures.