Transplant Infections

Daniel C. Brennan

This monograph is structured according to infectious agent rather than to bone marrow or specific organ transplant. This provides a comparison and contrast between the two types of transplantation that I found to be extremely helpful and complementary. The purpose is to offer a comprehensive review of epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of opportunistic infections in bone marrow or solid organ transplant patients. This book is written for the medical community at large, not only for transplant physicians and surgeons but for primary care physicians as well. The treatment of viral disease in transplantation is particularly comprehensive and up-to-date. The unique feature is the dedication to transplantation that provides solid recommendations for dose and duration of treatment. This differentiates it from other texts that have treated infections disease in all immunocompromised hosts, including HIV patients, and made it more difficult to obtain specific recommendations for organ transplant recipients who have infections. The specificity of the recommendations make it quite useful for those who are not infectious disease specialists or do not primarily treat transplant recipients. The discussion of the basic bacteriology or virology of each infectious agent is somewhat limited. However, I find this is not a primary shortcoming; in fact, it allows for a more practical focus. If there were any shortcomings, perhaps the discussion of atypical mycobacteria and fungal infections is a bit limited for my own desires given my perception of the increasing incidence of these types of infections in transplant recipients under current immunosuppressive regimens. This is a very useful andreadable treatment of infectious disease in bone marrow and solid organ transplant recipients. I was able to read it cover-to-cover and I found much practical information and very little duplication. I strongly recommend it for anyone who treats or follows bone marrow or solid organ transplant recipients.

Booknews

Brings together information specific to the management of infectious complications that occur specifically in immunocompromised patients undergoing transplantation. Reviews epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of opportunistic infections, focusing on the needs of clinicians at either a hematopoietic stem cell transplant or solid organ transplant center. Material is structured according to infectious agents rather than type of transplant, with specific differences between solid organ transplant types highlighted within the chapter for each infectious agent. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

From The Critics

Reviewer: Daniel C. Brennan, MD(Washington University School of Medicine)
Description: This monograph is structured according to infectious agent rather than to bone marrow or specific organ transplant. This provides a comparison and contrast between the two types of transplantation that I found to be extremely helpful and complementary.
Purpose: The purpose is to offer a comprehensive review of epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of opportunistic infections in bone marrow or solid organ transplant patients.
Audience: This book is written for the medical community at large, not only for transplant physicians and surgeons but for primary care physicians as well.
Features: The treatment of viral disease in transplantation is particularly comprehensive and up-to-date. The unique feature is the dedication to transplantation that provides solid recommendations for dose and duration of treatment. This differentiates it from other texts that have treated infections disease in all immunocompromised hosts, including HIV patients, and made it more difficult to obtain specific recommendations for organ transplant recipients who have infections. The specificity of the recommendations make it quite useful for those who are not infectious disease specialists or do not primarily treat transplant recipients. The discussion of the basic bacteriology or virology of each infectious agent is somewhat limited. However, I find this is not a primary shortcoming; in fact, it allows for a more practical focus. If there were any shortcomings, perhaps the discussion of atypical mycobacteria and fungal infections is a bit limited for my own desires given my perception of the increasing incidence of these types of infections in transplant recipients under current immunosuppressive regimens.
Assessment: This is a very useful and readable treatment of infectious disease in bone marrow and solid organ transplant recipients. I was able to read it cover-to-cover and I found much practical information and very little duplication. I strongly recommend it for anyone who treats or follows bone marrow or solid organ transplant recipients.

3 Stars from Doody