Textbook-Atlas of Intestinal Infections in AIDS

‘Textbook-Atlas’ is an appropriate title for this very comprehensive, multi-author (59) book on intestinal and oral infections in HIV/AIDS. Common and uncommon micropathogens are described from different angles — clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, histological, radiological and management. The illustrations are informative and of excellent quality. Mycobacteria are described in depth, including molecular biology, genetic aspects and laboratory diagnoses. Advances in PCR techniques and their use for stool pathogens are described. Most chapters are relatively short with good summarising conclusions. Although the book concerns intestinal micropathogens in HIV/ AIDS, it is of value for reference for intestinal micropathogens in general: there are clear, well illustrated figures of life cycles of parasites. The extensive histopathological and ultrastructural pathological photomicrographs are of particular value for rare conditions. Two chapters on radiological imaging describe the value of sonography, barium constrast studies and CT imaging. A chapter on diarrhoea in AIDS patients in Uganda puts in perspective the enormity of the problem and the extreme difficulty faced by patients and their families in coping with chronic diarrhoea associated with AIDS. As in other multi-author textbooks, there is duplication and overlap but, fortunately, not of the management of most of the conditions. A good index compensates for the overlap. It is obvious that the book is designed for adult practice but it is a pity that there are so few references to diarrhoea in children with HIV infection. The exception is the chapter on enteric viruses which provides substantial information on diarrhoea in children. This excellent textbook will be of use to a wide variety of people involved in the diagnosis and management of HIV/AIDS, including clinicians, microbiologists, radiologists and biological scientists.