As an exceptional example of Thematic Philately, Han T. Siem published this concise pictorial history of medical microbiology and infectious disease in 2004. It has been reviewed in many leading medical journals, and I think that, even if you are not a philatelist, you will appreciate his collection of materials and the research that has gone into this work.
There are many chapters covering all the major infectious diseases and much more. Just a couple of pages to whet your appetite…..