Book Review
Microbiology and Infection Control for Health Professionals, 3rd edn
Gary Lee and Penny Bishop (eds)
ISBN: 0-733973-44-2; 2006; v-xv+568 pages; Pearson Education;
Jim Hackett
Associate Professor, Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Robina QLD
This substantial and not inexpensive book aims to be the text of choice for trainee nurses and a useful reference for graduate health professionals. On both counts, the book is a resounding success.
There are four Units. 'Fundamental Microbiology' (pp.130) does indeed introduce the microbes. Chapters 1 and 2 cover history and classification and, in Chapter 3, Penny Bishop covers the entire field of bacterial metabolism in a world-record 16 pp, which even includes a 'Spotlight' (see below) on bioremediation. Flushed with success, Penny surpasses herself in Chapter 4, canvassing bacterial molecular biology in 14.5 pp (pp.68-82). Chapter 5 covers viruses and Chapter 6 eukaryotic microbes where we find colour photos of patients for the first time. Unit 2 ('Host-Microbe Interactions'; 102 pp) covers normal flora, superficial signs of infection (with more patient pictures), epidemiology (with a commendably topical SARS example), (basic) immunology and (elementary) bacterial pathogenesis. Unit 3 ('Control of Microbial Growth'; 112 pp) is thorough, if sometimes unexciting (handwashing). The largest Unit (Unit 4; 183 pp; 'Infections of Body Systems') is probably core to the needs of the nursing professional. Six body systems are treated separately. Careful descriptions are given of microbial pathogenesis and treatment modalities and the text is admirably complemented with many photos of patients.
Strengths of this book include sidebars entitled 'Spotlights' which connect theory to life. In later chapters particularly, 'Case histories' similarly connect readers to reality. End-of chapter summaries, detailed study questions and (probing) 'Test your Understanding' essay-type suggestions are all valuable.
It is always possible to nitpick. In Chapter 5, I would omit bacteriophage (fascinating, but irrelevant to health professionals) and use the space thus freed to explain shift and drift in influenza. While 'Case histories' are a good idea, they are often incomplete. A treatment commences, but did the patient live or die? More importantly, the many scientists who helped with the book (pp.547-549) might work with the authors and publisher to make a complementary Website to which a purchaser would have free time-limited access. Areas which could be Web-expanded for good students would include (a) metabolism (ATP synthase movie) (b) bacterial molecular biology (operon, attenuation), and (c) molecular pathogenesis (Shigella riding actin rocket).
There is no reason why this book should target only Australians. It is of international quality and, after some deparochialization, should do very well in overseas markets.
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