Comparative diagnosis of viral diseases. III. Vertebrate animal and related viruses. Part A. DNA Viruses

209 COMPARATIVE DIAGNOSIS OF VIRAL DISEASES Comparative Diagnosis o f Viral Diseases. III. Vertebrate Animal and Related Viruses. Part A. DNA Viruses. Edited by Edouard and Christine Kurstak. Academic Press, New York, 1981, 415 pp., 8 chapters with bibliographies, + alphabetical index, ISBN 0-12-429703-X. The purpose of the set of volumes edited by E. and C. Kurstak is to compare the known human and animal viruses according to ICTV nomenclature and by the diseases that they bring about in the different susceptible species. The general aim is to put the general characteristics of viral families, in order to gain the basic knowledge that can be applied for diagnosis or control of the diseases. The viral diseases of vertebrate animals are described in Vols. III and IV of the set of 4 volumes; Vols I and II deal with human viruses. Volume III, part A, reviews (in 6 chapters) animal diseases due to DNA viruses: Parvoviridae, Papovaviridae, Adenoviridae, Iridoviridae, Herpesviridae, Poxviridae. A special chapter is devoted to scrapie as a model of slow virus disease. The book ends with a contribution to the W.H.O. viral disease information system. The data on each family are arranged in a logical order, and at first glance seem to be quite up to date and extensive, although the literature cited comes mainly from English-speaking countries. It is only to be regretted t h a t the editors have n o t presented a synopsis or a list of the general characteristics of the DNA viruses that could have allowed one to make comparisons. For example, it is known that the DNA viruses have a peculiar relationship with the cells that t h e y infect; they can survive in a latent form until an external event shifts the equilibrium and allows the infection to show itself. These viruses are also known to be oncogenic and able to transform the infected cells. It might also have been worth showing that these viruses have a propensity to invade the cells of the skin and of the digestive and respiratory mucous membranes, which are those that are being continuously renewed due to superficial desquamation and division of a basal layer of undifferentiated cells. There are numerous typographical errors which impair the reading. Nevertheless, the practical aspect of each monograph has to be recognized; the techniques for the applied diagnosis and general control are clearly shown. ALAIN PROVOST (Institut d'Elevage et de M$decine V~t$rinaire des Pays Tropicaux, 10 Rue Pierre-Curie, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France)