Abstract
The fourth edition of Pathogenesis of Bacterial Infections in Animals has some changes: new authors, new chapters, and a beautiful color plate section with many figures. Although the text covers many of the same organisms as the third edition, Shigella and Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae were omitted, and Pasteurella and Mannheimia were split into separate chapters. A new chapter on the subversion of the immune response by bacterial pathogens has been added. This book continues to be a valuable resource for researchers and graduate students, as well as clinicians looking to add depth to results generated from diagnostic cases. It is also an excellent accompaniment for courses in bacterial pathogenesis. Each chapter is generally organized into introduction, organism characteristics and source, virulence factors, pathogenesis, and conclusion, with gaps in knowledge or anticipated developments sections. Some chapters have additional introductory sections describing infections or epidemiology in animals before moving into the virulence factors and pathogenesis of disease associated with the organism. As expected, a listing and discussion of virulence factors is a central part of each chapter. Genetic and molecular aspects of the virulence factors have added details to bring the reader up to speed. Although the authors regret having to curtail the number of references, I found the references to be quite extensive and as current as possible. This book is an exceptional collaborative effort. In addition to the editors, 70 field experts make contributions. With 31 chapters and 660 pages, this book covers a lot of ground, yet strikes a good balance of detail and clinical relevance. The table of contents and index are well organized so you can easily find specific topics of interest. As previously mentioned, a color plate section enhances the effect of the figures, which are also found in black and white within the text. This edition spends more time tying epidemiology and environment to pathogenesis and cellular activity to immunology than the previous edition did. Perhaps the need for a new edition is best summarized by a section change in the first chapter going from “Promise of genomics” to “Pathogenesis in the post-genomics era.” This epitomizes developments in the field during the last 6 years and the authors' endeavors to keep up.