Clinical Tuberculosis 3rd Edition
Edited by Peter D.O. Davies
Published
by Arnold
Pages: 476. Price £110, \#8364;156. ISBN 0-340809167
Infection of one-third of the worlds' population, an interrelationship with HIV infection, new developments in molecular diagnostics and the development of resistance to the usually prescribed therapies are all pertinent reasons why a book like this might be important at this time. Peter Davies' book is now into its third edition after being published for the first time only 10 yrs ago and rightly seeks to remain up to date.
Its aim is to provide essential information to all individuals involved in the management and control of tuberculosis worldwide. The breadth of the condition is well covered throughout its nine sections, covering pathology, clinical aspects, treatment, special situations, prevention, control and other aspects. Each Section contains up to five chapters, each written by an acknowledged world expert in that field, the writers share their expertise in an easy-to-read style throughout the book. It is generally well illustrated both by figures and case histories and the learning points at the end of each chapter are a bonus.
This new edition is slimmer than the last and is indeed up-to-date. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics have been captured together with the more recent tests for latent tuberculosis. There is appropriate emphasis on drug resistance, and the immunology section has been extended. There remains a good balance between the amount of text devoted to the disease and its management in both developed and developing countries.
Nothing is perfect, but it is hard to pick faults in this excellent book. Nosocomial outbreaks of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis perhaps indicate that techniques such as transtracheal saline injection (p119( should no longer be recommended. Drug doses in chapters nine and ten are sometimes at variance, which may confuse the casual reader. Radiographs of right-hilar adenopathy might have illuminated the text of chapters eight and nine and there is some unnecessary repetition in chapter 14.
These are but small points in what is otherwise an extremely well written and informative work. I can unreservedly recommend that this work should be on the shelf of all those regularly, or even irregularly, involved in the management of tuberculosis. However, books are expensive, and Clinical Tuberculosis is no exception. In the UK it has a recommended retail price of 110 GBP (\#8364;156( and even though, in India for example, it sells at a special price of 4995 Indian Rupees (\#8364;94(, it will be affordable by few of those working where tuberculosis is most prevalent, in the developing world.
- © ERS Journals Ltd