Darren Whitelaw, University of Glasgow

This review refers to a previous edition of this book

This is a useful book for understanding immunology, as it puts it across in a clear and concise way. It also clarifies microbe classification, beyond what you find in clinical books. The depth of the information in the book is easy to follow and understand, and is good level for any medical student. The book also comes with access to student consult, with all its online goodies. With its easy to use layout and useful summaries at the end of each section it will also be helpful during revision, especially to clear up any areas of difficulty. To top it off it even has little historical information boxes to provide a break from studying.

Posted 1st Jun 2007

Amanda Jewison, Brighton and Sussex Medical School

This book is a core text for year 4 at BSMS and rightly so. It has a helpful introduction to immunology, including classification of micro-organisms and then a detailed chapter on each type. There are also chapters on subjects such as vaccination, infection control, antibiotics, diagnosis and assessment of infection, and infection in the immunocompromised host, a favourite in exam questions. Each chapter is attractively laid out with tables, boxes, diagrams and a ‘key facts’ box to conclude. The book itself has a lot of block text, which makes it less than ideal for revision, but the information provided is by far enough to get you through a rotation in infectious diseases, and if you just need a summary of a particular microbe, then you can consult the ‘pathogen parade’ at the back of the book.

Posted 1st Jun 2007