Abstract
Veterinary Microbiology is a comprehensive, easy-to-read textbook on veterinary microbiology and infectious diseases. The book is, and will be for years to come, of great help to any person interested in these subjects.
The book is organized in 3 major sections: 1) Basics of Veterinary Microbiology, divided into 3 chapters that deal with the basics of virulence, bacterial disease diagnosis, and antimicrobials; resistance mechanisms; and susceptibility testing; 2) Veterinary Bacteriology, comprising 43 chapters dealing with the most important bacterial pathogens of animals, divided into major microbial groups and then genera; and 3) Veterinary Mycology, comprising 6 chapters dealing with mycoses in general as well as the major mycoses of animals.
Probably the best feature of this book, and what makes it different from several other microbiology textbooks, is that it not only deals with the microorganisms but also with pathogenesis, control, prevention, and diagnosis of infectious disease. This makes the book a useful everyday tool for clinicians, microbiologists, pathologists, and diagnosticians in general. Also novel is the inclusion of human disease and bioterrorism, areas on which published information is scant in the veterinary literature. A nice example of this is the section on anthrax. The inclusion of fish and amphibian species is another unusual and welcome feature of this book.
The book is up to date and well documented by a list of references (suggested readings) at the end of each chapter. The writing style is concise and precise, and yet very readable. The book is sprinkled here and there with the refreshing sense of humor that characterizes these authors and helps to make some otherwise arid subjects pleasant to read.
The book has a total of 247 figures and 118 tables. Figures include color and black and white photographs and flow diagrams. The quality of the illustrations is in general very good. The only exception is a few color photographs illustrating rare conditions, and I know how difficult it must have been to get these photographs in the first place. In this regard, I am of the opinion that I would rather have a photo of fair quality that still shows what it is meant to show than no photo at all. The flow diagrams are excellent, and in many cases, careful reading of them gives most of the information needed about that particular subject. Figure 33.10 is upside down, an error probably not the responsibility of the authors.
Two indices, a table of contents at the beginning of the book and an alphabetic index of terms at the back, provide easy access to the contents of this book.
Overall, this is an excellent book that provides an up-to-date, comprehensive, and reader-friendly tool for anyone interested in veterinary microbiology and infectious diseases.