Molecular Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases

From The Critics

Reviewer: Roberta B. Carey, PhD(Loyola University Medical Center)
Description: This spiral bound manual contains 36 procedures for the diagnosis of infectious diseases using molecular techniques.
Purpose: The manual describes in "cookbook" form molecular methods to detect microorganisms in patient specimens. The methods are not targeted to detect any particular pathogen. The protocols are universal and may be adapted to many organisms. Collating this variety of protocols into one book is useful as a resource and a teaching manual.
Audience: The text is written for researchers in the field who have some experience and familiarity with the terms and concepts. It is not for neophytes taking their first steps into molecular diagnosis. The writing is very technical and the theories behind each procedure are briefly described. The contributors comprise an international group of scientists.
Features: The black-and-white illustrations clarify the complex concepts, and the photos of the gels illustrate the protocol results. The majority of references were written within the last five years, which would be expected for a book covering a new and emerging science. The text is written in outline form with bold headings. There is no glossary nor are color enhanced diagrams provided, but there is a chapter describing how to use the Internet as a resource for molecular information and interchange.
Assessment: This is the thirteenth book in the Methods in Molecular Medicine series. It is not a book read for general information on the molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases, but one which provides details and disadvantages and usefulness of a particular method. It covers both antigen- and antibody-based methods and highlights critical steps. The manufacturers of the reagents are listed, which directs the reader to the best suppliers with a proven track record of success. This small sized manual contains lots of information for the serious students of molecular techniques.

Roberta B. Carey

This spiral bound manual contains 36 procedures for the diagnosis of infectious diseases using molecular techniques. The manual describes in "cookbook" form molecular methods to detect microorganisms in patient specimens. The methods are not targeted to detect any particular pathogen. The protocols are universal and may be adapted to many organisms. Collating this variety of protocols into one book is useful as a resource and a teaching manual. The text is written for researchers in the field who have some experience and familiarity with the terms and concepts. It is not for neophytes taking their first steps into molecular diagnosis. The writing is very technical and the theories behind each procedure are briefly described. The contributors comprise an international group of scientists. The black-and-white illustrations clarify the complex concepts, and the photos of the gels illustrate the protocol results. The majority of references were written within the last five years, which would be expected for a book covering a new and emerging science. The text is written in outline form with bold headings. There is no glossary nor are color enhanced diagrams provided, but there is a chapter describing how to use the Internet as a resource for molecular information and interchange. This is the thirteenth book in the Methods in Molecular Medicine series. It is not a book read for general information on the molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases, but one which provides details and disadvantages and usefulness of a particular method. It covers both antigen- and antibody-based methods and highlights critical steps. The manufacturers of the reagents are listed, which directs thereader to the best suppliers with a proven track record of success. This small sized manual contains lots of information for the serious students of molecular techniques.

Booknews

Compiled by Reischl (U. of Regenburg, Germany), 36 papers by international authorities present standard and cutting-edge methods illustrating the principles of molecular diagnostics, and their applications in diverse immunological assay systems (e.g. diagnostic markers, epitope mapping, and recombinant antigen production). Emphasizing recent developments in antibody engineering such as biosensor technology, this guide addresses basic problems in serological laboratory diagnosis, and includes protocols designed for tailoring test systems to specific needs. Plastic comb binding. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

3 Stars from Doody