116 BOOK REVIEWS

tive hosts, so prospects in this area of research for the future are good.

The section on human fascioliasis is a timely reminder that it is an emerging zoonosis. The geographical dis- tribution, prevalence and intensity in different countries, pathology, modes of transmission and treatment are reviewed. Human infections are usually associated with animal endemics, apart from hyperendemic areas such as the Bolivian Altiplano where humans are actively in- volved in transmission,

In summary, this book has succeeded in drawing together an enormous amount of data on a diverse range of topics on fascioliasis, demonstrated how the applica- tion of new techniques leads to a further understanding of the biology of the Darasite, and highlighted the current gaps in kr;bwledgi and shown how these may be addressed bv future research. The book will be essential reading and”a vital reference resource for years to come for students, lecturers and research workers in the field of helminthology.

Vaughan R. Southgate Biomedical Sciences Theme Wo&km Wellcome Bziwzedical Laboratories WHO Collaborating Centre for the ide.nt$ication and characterization ofschistosomes and their rnaii hosts Department of Zoology The Natural iYistopy Museum London S W7 5BD, UK

Medical Microbiology and Infection at a Glance. S. Gillespie & K, Bamford. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 2000. 128~~. Price E12.95 (paperback). IS3N 0-632- 05026-8.

This well-presented book manages to provide, in a little over 100 pages, a very readable, concise and up-to- date review of microbiology and infection. The ‘at a glance’ series format of 2 pages for each topic and refreshingly original diagrams ensure a contemporary approach.

The book is divided into 6 major parts: ‘concepts’, covering classification, laboratory investigations, anti- microbials and hospital- and community-infection con-

trol; ‘bacteriology’, with a chapter on each of the major groups of bacteria; similar parts on virology, mycology and parasitology; and then a part containing 13 chapters covering systemic infections.

The first 9 chapters of the book provide a useful introduction to clinica microbiology. The Z-page chap- ters are possible because of the amount of information conveyed in the clear and imaginative diagrams. Those in the sections on ‘Pathogenicity and transmission’, and ‘Laboratory investigation’ are particularly informative. Chapters on hospital and comrmmity infections provide a useful overview to the role of microbiology in disease control.

The second part of the book provides systematic chapters on bacterioIogy, including for each group classification, pathogenesis, diagnosis and clinical im- portance. These chapters are again concise and informa- tive, with epidemiology and patterns of disease clearly explained in the diagrams. The sections on diagnosis are up to date, mentioning newer molecular methods as well as conventional culture.

The virology and mycology parts cover the major pathogens, and the parasitology part ranges from gut helminths to leishmaniasis and malaria.

The final part of the book is a series of chapters on systemic infections, including zoonoses, infections in the immunocompromlsed, and HIV and AIDS.

MedicalMicrobiology and Infectim ac a Glance would be a very useful text for undergraduates in medicine and biological sciences, and an enjoyable read for clinicians, epidemiologists and public health workers. Exotic dis- ease and infection take up only a limited number of pages, but the book’s low price and clear presentation make it worth considering for institutions and students in the tropics.

Paul Shears Liverpool School of Tropikal Medic&e LiverpooZ, L3 5QA, UK

The book can be ordered from Blackwell Science Ltd, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 DEL, UK; fax +44 (0) 1865 206026, e-mail medirect@blacksci.co.uk