- Email: [email protected]
Infectious diseases text and color atlas
DIAGN MICROBIOLINFECT DIS 1993;16:149-150
149
BOOK REVIEW
Infectious Diseases Text and ColorAtlas, 2nd ed. Edited by W.E. Farrar, M.J. Wood, J.A. Innes, and H. Tubbs. N e w York: Gower, 1991, 337 pages, $139.95, ISBN 0-397-44718-3. The well-worn cliche, a single picture is worth a thousand words, is exemplified by this splendid book now in its second edition. There is presently available a number of books on infectious diseases with photographs, sketches, diagrams, and diagnostic images, but it all comes together in this book in less than 340 pages with over 1000 striking photographs, line drawings, radiographs, images, and informative summary-type tables. Accompanying the pictures or groupings of pictures is appropriate narrative that provides a comprehensive story for virtually all of the commonly encountered infectious diseases (IDs) plus a sizeable number of rarely occurring ones. Diseases of global importance are included so that rare versus common may actually be a matter of geography. With the passage of time these geographic differences tend to fade and global knowledge of IDs is rapidly becoming mandatory. The approach in this book is to present IDs by anatomic systems in 12 well-organized chapters plus an additional two chapters devoted to systemic infections, HIV infections, and AIDS. The 12 systems covered are head and neck, lower respiratory tract, nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, liver and biliary tract, urinary tract, genital tract, bones and joints, cardiovascular system, skin and soft tissue, and the eye. It would be incorrect to state that every described or recognized ID is presented in words and pictures in this book. However, the scope is extensive and the coverage for any given anatomic system for bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic diseases of that system is excellent. The extent of coverage and usefulness of this book can be best realized by a brief description of a few chapters. Skin and soft tissue IDs are dealt with in chapter 10 for bacterial, protozoal, and helminthic infections and chapter 11 covers viral, fungal, and estocparasitic infections. There are 276 figures in these two chapters that vividly show anatomic lesions, etiologic agents, histopathology, or tabular information on dermal or soft tissue infections as common as impetigo or uncommon as cutaneous an© 1993Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010 0732-8893/93/$6.00
thrax or the bulla produced by a blister beetle. The authors have not limited their inclusion of photographs to one or two per disease. A series of photographs show various stages of tissue involvement and the effects on surrounding tissue. There are 13 photographs relating to dermal manifestations of herpes simplex, 15 on chicken pox, and 11 on zoster. In each instance, the photographs are clear and sharp and accompanied by a descriptive narrative that is focused on the salient diagnostic features, symptoms, and therapy. There are a few instances in which a skin infection is described but photographs are not included presumably because an acceptable photo was not available, for example, cutaneous diphtheria or pyomyositis. The descriptions and accompanying photographs are also effectively used to assist the user from making diagnostic errors in the examination of patients or clinical specimens. To illustrate, in the chapter dealing with ID of the nervous system there are two excellent photographs, side by side, one showing typical encapsulated cells of Cryptococcus neoformans in a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) wet mount preparation; the other photograph shows two lymphocytes from the centrifuged sediment of another patients' CSF and to the uninitiated, the lymphocytes could be easily mistaken for cryptococcal cells. Two further examples of the extensive coverage are deserving of mention to illustrate the breadth and depth of this book. One is the attention given to the broad spectrum of tuberculosis, a disease that has regained a position of global importance. The photographs, radiographs, diagrams, and narrative describe every recognized expression of human tuberculosis. Mycobacterial infections of bone, skin, lymph nodes, male and female genitalia, pleura, mediastinum, urinary tract, liver, peritoneum, head and neck, gastrointestinal tract as well as classic tuberculosis of the pulmonary and central nervous systems. The pictures and narrative are impressivably presented and will serve to either refresh the memory of some or educate others in the protean manifestations of this serious and often difficult to treat infectious disease. A second example is the chapter on systemic infections that uses words, pictures, and charts to describe and discuss the mechanisms of fever, septicemia, and fever of unknown origin. Following these presentations the chapter depicts an impressive number of specific systemic infections ranging from babesiosis and bartonellosis to typhus, viral hemorrhagic fevers, dengue, leishmaniasis, and dis-
150
seminated mycoses to mention a few. This book provides in words and pictures a comprehensive coverage of ID that can be of benefit and use to all clinicians, clinical microbiologists, pathologists, and others whose professional interests or teaching re-
Book Review
sponsibilities require a thorough background in IDs. It is a worthwhile addition to anyone's library. ALBERT BALOWS
Alpharetta, GA, USA
149
BOOK REVIEW
Infectious Diseases Text and ColorAtlas, 2nd ed. Edited by W.E. Farrar, M.J. Wood, J.A. Innes, and H. Tubbs. N e w York: Gower, 1991, 337 pages, $139.95, ISBN 0-397-44718-3. The well-worn cliche, a single picture is worth a thousand words, is exemplified by this splendid book now in its second edition. There is presently available a number of books on infectious diseases with photographs, sketches, diagrams, and diagnostic images, but it all comes together in this book in less than 340 pages with over 1000 striking photographs, line drawings, radiographs, images, and informative summary-type tables. Accompanying the pictures or groupings of pictures is appropriate narrative that provides a comprehensive story for virtually all of the commonly encountered infectious diseases (IDs) plus a sizeable number of rarely occurring ones. Diseases of global importance are included so that rare versus common may actually be a matter of geography. With the passage of time these geographic differences tend to fade and global knowledge of IDs is rapidly becoming mandatory. The approach in this book is to present IDs by anatomic systems in 12 well-organized chapters plus an additional two chapters devoted to systemic infections, HIV infections, and AIDS. The 12 systems covered are head and neck, lower respiratory tract, nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, liver and biliary tract, urinary tract, genital tract, bones and joints, cardiovascular system, skin and soft tissue, and the eye. It would be incorrect to state that every described or recognized ID is presented in words and pictures in this book. However, the scope is extensive and the coverage for any given anatomic system for bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic diseases of that system is excellent. The extent of coverage and usefulness of this book can be best realized by a brief description of a few chapters. Skin and soft tissue IDs are dealt with in chapter 10 for bacterial, protozoal, and helminthic infections and chapter 11 covers viral, fungal, and estocparasitic infections. There are 276 figures in these two chapters that vividly show anatomic lesions, etiologic agents, histopathology, or tabular information on dermal or soft tissue infections as common as impetigo or uncommon as cutaneous an© 1993Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010 0732-8893/93/$6.00
thrax or the bulla produced by a blister beetle. The authors have not limited their inclusion of photographs to one or two per disease. A series of photographs show various stages of tissue involvement and the effects on surrounding tissue. There are 13 photographs relating to dermal manifestations of herpes simplex, 15 on chicken pox, and 11 on zoster. In each instance, the photographs are clear and sharp and accompanied by a descriptive narrative that is focused on the salient diagnostic features, symptoms, and therapy. There are a few instances in which a skin infection is described but photographs are not included presumably because an acceptable photo was not available, for example, cutaneous diphtheria or pyomyositis. The descriptions and accompanying photographs are also effectively used to assist the user from making diagnostic errors in the examination of patients or clinical specimens. To illustrate, in the chapter dealing with ID of the nervous system there are two excellent photographs, side by side, one showing typical encapsulated cells of Cryptococcus neoformans in a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) wet mount preparation; the other photograph shows two lymphocytes from the centrifuged sediment of another patients' CSF and to the uninitiated, the lymphocytes could be easily mistaken for cryptococcal cells. Two further examples of the extensive coverage are deserving of mention to illustrate the breadth and depth of this book. One is the attention given to the broad spectrum of tuberculosis, a disease that has regained a position of global importance. The photographs, radiographs, diagrams, and narrative describe every recognized expression of human tuberculosis. Mycobacterial infections of bone, skin, lymph nodes, male and female genitalia, pleura, mediastinum, urinary tract, liver, peritoneum, head and neck, gastrointestinal tract as well as classic tuberculosis of the pulmonary and central nervous systems. The pictures and narrative are impressivably presented and will serve to either refresh the memory of some or educate others in the protean manifestations of this serious and often difficult to treat infectious disease. A second example is the chapter on systemic infections that uses words, pictures, and charts to describe and discuss the mechanisms of fever, septicemia, and fever of unknown origin. Following these presentations the chapter depicts an impressive number of specific systemic infections ranging from babesiosis and bartonellosis to typhus, viral hemorrhagic fevers, dengue, leishmaniasis, and dis-
150
seminated mycoses to mention a few. This book provides in words and pictures a comprehensive coverage of ID that can be of benefit and use to all clinicians, clinical microbiologists, pathologists, and others whose professional interests or teaching re-
Book Review
sponsibilities require a thorough background in IDs. It is a worthwhile addition to anyone's library. ALBERT BALOWS
Alpharetta, GA, USA