key: cord-0034044-sggxn655
authors: Gürtler, L.
title: Book review
date: 1996
journal: Infection
DOI: 10.1007/bf01713322
sha: 71a3d11adf5ccaeb7b5fee606c8c5499cb036831
doc_id: 34044
cord_uid: sggxn655

nan

Since the publication of the 2nd edition (626 pages, 1990) this book has been extended in volume and content. The new edition has been completely revised, in colour photographs of patients and many graphs and tables enable the reader to come rapidly to the main point of interest. Each chapter, in addition to a description of viruses, provides a review on diagnostics, treatment and vaccination.

Adhering to an organotrophic scheme hepatitis viruses are covered including hepatitis C and E viruses. In the herpesvirus section HHV-6 and 7 are fully described. Viruses associated with acute diarrhoeal diseases are summarized in a chapter, referring in this context to bacterial agents and their geographic distribution. Influenza and parainfluenza viruses, such as respiratory syncytial-, adeno-, rhino-and corona viruses are still allotted individual chapters. Toroviruses, that is Breda-like agents, are covered to give the reader a superficial understanding. The classical children's diseases, measles, mumps and rubella, follow. The enterovirus group deals with many clinical manifestations, includ-ing chronic fatigue syndrome. In dealing with poxviruses an especially detailed description of the importance of monkey pox after the discontinuation of smallpox vaccinations is given. No longer only tropical disease viruses of the alpha, flavi and bunya groups are covered in separate chapters. In the flavivirus section hepatitis C virus is again discussed, also the recent spread of a Dengue virus. These chapters supply a very effective epidemiological survey. Arenavirus causing Lassa and Junin fever, filovirus such as Ebola and their transmission are described in detail and this chapter is followed by information on rabies. Two chapters deal with papilloma and human polyoma viruses. There is a concise chapter on human parvovirus. The book ends with the revised, up-to-date chapters on human retroviruses and prion diseases. Both chapters focus on the transmission of different agents, prevention and, in retroviruses, therapy. The book is recommended for all readers who want to gain insight into a viral disease provided briefly but in depth, without extensive presentation of the most recent results in molecular biology. The book is helpful in linking specific symptoms to an identified viral agent and in finding an adequate diagnostic procedure. 

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