Tuberculosis Bacteriology

From The Critics

Reviewer: Roberta B. Carey, PhD(Loyola University Medical Center)
Description: This is a short compendium of traditional methods of diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the laboratory. It is the second edition of a text first published in 1985.
Purpose: The purpose is to review the basic techniques required for the laboratory diagnosis of infections caused by acid-fast bacteria. The chapters include how to correctly design a space for the culture of tuberculosis and the proper specimen collection and processing methods. These principles appear in many different articles in the literature; however, this book collates them into one concise textbook.
Audience: The book is directed toward physicians, PhD lab directors, or supervisors responsible for diagnosing infectious diseases that include mycobacteriology. Purposefully, the authors have excluded an in-depth discussion of the newer molecular strategies for diagnosing TB. To their credit, the authors have written numerous publications and review articles on this topic.
Features: There are few black-and-white illustrations that demonstrate how to pack specimens for mailing or the appropriate equipment used in the TB lab. These drawings are useful to the new student in the field. Although there are more than 10 pages of references, only 10 percent are dated from 1995-1996. Many references cite historical descriptions of the mycobacterial diseases dating from the early 1900s. The table of contents is limited to the chapter headings, but there is a more detailed index of topics in the back of the book.
Assessment: This book will be appreciated most by persons who are new to the discipline of mycobacteriology. Everything from personnel selection and motivation to safety practices is addressed for those unfamiliar with the proper techniques for culturing a high-risk pathogen. The book is a short course in the diagnosis of mycobacterial infections, but there are few pearls of wisdom for the more experienced laboratorian.

Roberta B. Carey

This is a short compendium of traditional methods of diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the laboratory. It is the second edition of a text first published in 1985. The purpose is to review the basic techniques required for the laboratory diagnosis of infections caused by acid-fast bacteria. The chapters include how to correctly design a space for the culture of tuberculosis and the proper specimen collection and processing methods. These principles appear in many different articles in the literature; however, this book collates them into one concise textbook. The book is directed toward physicians, PhD lab directors, or supervisors responsible for diagnosing infectious diseases that include mycobacteriology. Purposefully, the authors have excluded an in-depth discussion of the newer molecular strategies for diagnosing TB. To their credit, the authors have written numerous publications and review articles on this topic. There are few black-and-white illustrations that demonstrate how to pack specimens for mailing or the appropriate equipment used in the TB lab. These drawings are useful to the new student in the field. Although there are more than 10 pages of references, only 10 percent are dated from 1995-1996. Many references cite historical descriptions of the mycobacterial diseases dating from the early 1900s. The table of contents is limited to the chapter headings, but there is a more detailed index of topics in the back of the book. This book will be appreciated most by persons who are new to the discipline of mycobacteriology. Everything from personnel selection and motivation to safety practices is addressed for those unfamiliar with the proper techniques for culturing ahigh-risk pathogen. The book is a short course in the diagnosis of mycobacterial infections, but there are few pearls of wisdom for the more experienced laboratorian.

3 Stars from Doody