Abstract
Systemic Pathology of Fish: A Text and Atlas of Normal Tissues in Teleosts and their Responses in Disease 2nd edition edited by Hugh Ferguson is a long awaited and significant step beyond the first edition from 17 years ago. The latest edition is authored by 14 contributors from Europe, Britain, the United States, and Australia. The book has expanded from 263 pages to 366 and is in a slightly larger format. While not quantified, this reviewer's impression is that most of the additional space is taken by a vast array of new, larger color images (gross and histologic) when compared to the previous edition. There are also numerous scanning and transmission electron micrographs. All figures and images are of excellent quality and augment the text. The authors are to be commended for using the same organ-based format as the previous edition, but have added a much needed chapter on physiological clinical pathology. The writing is clear and concise and each of the 14 chapters concludes with an extensive list of references used throughout the chapter. The index provides easy access to the various topics that may be present in multiple chapters. If there is a “down side” to this text, it may be that it focuses on salmonids and cyprinids at the expense of other teleosts, but this is a minor problem and should not detract from its use. At a time when many newer techniques and diagnostic approaches overwhelm the literature, this volume should serve to remind us of the value of the human instrument in diagnostic pathology. This volume is a much needed update to a previous excellent reference text. It will serve fish diagnosticians and veterinary pathologists alike and will be a “must” on well-stocked reference shelves.