Microbiology in Clinical Practice, 3Ed

REVIEWS FROM PREVIOUS EDITIONS Certainly a book to be recommended for an overview of clinical microbiology, unmatched by any comparable volume.'
Journal of Pathology, 1990.

The second edition of this volume is a welcome text for medical students and 'junior' medical microbiologists alike. It has a readable flowing text.'
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 1990.

This book will do much to promote understanding of the current problems in diagnosis and management of infection and deserves to be widely read and consulted by both clinical and laboratory staff.'
The Lancet, 1982.

This book will be of undoubted value to all postgraduate doctors studying for further degrees in which a knowledge of infection, infectious diseases or microbiology is relevant.'
Journal of Infection, 1982

REVIEWS OF THE THIRD EDITION: Textbooks of Microbiology in recent years have become either large, comprehensive, but very unwieldy, reference tomes or, secondly, extremely slimmed-down booklets containing facts but very little explanation or context. One suspects that the large tomes will further increase in size and eventually become available on a database format and that the extremely small volumes will continue to frustrate their owners, providing little clinical guidance and no relation of the authors experience. These changes highlight the lack of a good, sound textbook of microbiology for medical students and other similar users which, although founded in systematic microbiology and therefore containing the requisite number of facts, relates these to everyday clinical medicine and does so entertainingly and in a way which convinces the reader that the author practises clinical microbiology on a regular basis. The earlier editions of David Shanson's book managed to marry the clinical experience with the microbiological science very well, but it was always going to be a very considerable challenge to him to continue this happy state against the background of the burgeoning new techniques, new diseases and new approaches in the last decade. In fact, he has done this magnificently well. It is a pleasure to browse through the book and come across many clinical observations with which most professional medical microbiologists are familiar but which do not turn up in the afor

He has also adopted a refreshing technique which runs through the book, whereby he continually nudges the reader and refers back to earlier information but which is important in the context then being discussed. One has the impression that one can almost hear Dr Shanson giving an informal seminar and, in do doing, emphasizing important aspects of subjects as he goes on. I like, for instance, such sub-headings as 'Blind management of a child (not a neonate) or adult who is suspected of acute bacterial meningitis (my italics)'. Thus, in a simple way, Dr Shanson reminds the reader that children under one year have very different forms of meningitis to older children and adults. There are numerous other touches of this nature spread widely throughout the book and, although much of the information under each topic is necessarily brief, it is almost always sufficiently comprehensive for the tyro medical microbiologist and would leave his or her patient safe whilst further more expert opinion was being sought. Dr Shanson has also dealt with the new area of molecular biology in relation to microbiology. This is an extremely complex and detailed subject area but he has managed to convey the principles of it in a simple and understandable way without losing sight of the problems of its complexity, its limitations and its benefits. Indeed, I could find no area of importance to the target audience which has been omitted or given less than justice. Dr Shanson does not intend this to be a
Professor R Freeman Director Public Health Laborat

... this is a good introductory textbook for a trainee microbiologist embarking on a career in medical microbiology... The book has been updated to provide coverage of the latest advances. In particular, the well written overview of the applications of molecular biology is most welcome. New chemotherapeutic drugs such as piperacillin combined with tazobactam, new fluroquinolones (up to sparflaxacin) and new anti-viral nucleoside analogues have been described... The chapter on AIDs has been well updated and has been covered at an appropriate level. The current nomenclature has been used throughout, for example Stenotrophomonas spp. and Burkholderia spp... It should not be forgotten that the first edition of this book was a landmark text in undergraduate and early post-graduate medical microbiology... it is well deserving of a place in libraries.
Nitu Modi & Mark H Wilcox, Dept. of Microbiology,

I have always believed that Dr Shanson's contribution to clinical medical microbiology... now in its 3rd edition, was an excellent example of how microbiology can be made both relevant and interesting. The way in which the text is set out invites easy reading... This is a clinically based textbook, the bulk of contents being related to specific clinical topics and with practical advice on the use of the laboratory and on therapy. The present edition has been greatly updated with the evolution of new pathogens and old pathogens in new disguises. Antimicrobial drug resistance is assuming alarming proportions in many parts of the world and the AIDs global epidemic continues to worsen. The introductory chapters concerning the classification and pathogenicity of microbes, the use of the microbiology laboratory; applications of molecular biology and antimicrobial therapy are covered succinctly. The chapters covering specific clinical topics such as pyrexia of unknown origin; septicaemia; opportunistic infections; infections in children; anaerobic infections and many more - make fascinating reading. They are up-to-date and carry a wealth of useful, practical information about the conditions described. The chapter on Hospital Infection is particularly well done. The 'priority' reading for medical students is very useful and the titles in the section devoted to further reading - are pertinent to the text of the book. This is a textbook to be read by senior medical students, by the you
Emeritus Professor A A Forder, Dept of Medical Mic

...aimed as it is essentially at junior hospital doctors, medical students and medical laboratories scientific officers, the book is appropriate and will continue to be an invaluable basic reference, being comprehensive and complete for its chosen readership.
Journal of Anitmicrobial Chemotherapy (1999)

This is the third edition of a much-valued book, which was first published in 1982 and is intended for medical students, junior hospital doctors and medical laboratory staff. Presented as a soft-covered book of 500 pages, it provides a comprehensive introduction to clinical microbiology, covering bacteriology, parasitology, virology, mycobacteriology and mycology. ... this book will prove to be a useful adjunt for a new generation of students and... will continue to provide useful information for those with more experience of the subject.
British Journal of Biomedical Science 1999; 56:311

Those entering the infection specialities at juniour level should greet the appearance of the third edition with enthusiasm.A readable and affordable first textbook in clinacla microbiology complimenting the more detailed refernce texts, the book still has a lot to commend it.
Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 'Tr

Those involved in the practical management of patients with suspected infection will be greatly aided by this up-to-date, comprehensive and concise textbook. The approach integrates the clinical and microbiological aspects of infections, and includes those caused by all types of microbial agents, ranging from viruses and bacteria to worms.
The main clinical features, causative organisms, diagnosis, treatment, epidemiology and prevention are discussed in each of the sections, which are arranged mainly by body system to reflect directly the situation encountered in clinical practice. Most general topics such as PUO, septicaemia and opportunistic infections are also covered. Introductory chapters deal with basic microbiology, use of the laboratory and principles of antimicrobial chemotherapy.
The text for this third edition has been thoroughly revised and includes discussion of 'new' diseases, emerging pathogens and antibiotic resistance. In particular there is an additional chapter on molecular biology applications and an up-to-date review of AIDS. The antimicrobial drug sections of chapters now include important new antibiotics and other agents.
Microbiology in Clinical Practice is aimed primarily at junior hospital doctors and medical students training in pathology. It is a highly readable textbook for general practitioners, physicians and infection control nurses. Medical laboratory scientific officers/technicians should find much information which is of interest to them and which will help prepare them for professional examinations.