This third edition of Sherris Medical Microbiology serves a badly needed role in basic science medical education. The vast array of prokaryotic and eukaryotic infecting organisms can be baffling to the novice practitioner, and this text serves as agood foundation on which to build more specialized insight. For a quick list of strong and weak points, scroll to the end of the review.The first seven chapters discuss the biology of the prokaryotic cell and the virus, with an obvious focus on areas of cell structure and viral physiology that are affected by antibiotic and antiviral therapies. Biochemists will find this area thin, but it is not intended to provide specific, in-depth information of the subjects.
The following three chapters discuss host-parasite relationships, and this area is one of the text's true strong points. The dynamics of infection are the meat of the forces that govern whether an organism will overpower its host or be destroyed. The text does a strong job of laying out the fundamental mechanisms of bacterial colonization and host reponse.
Chapters eleven through fourteen cover spread and control of infection, and here the book could be stronger. There are excellent discussions of the mechanisms of antimicrobial chemistry, and of host resistance, but little to guide a novice with the most important aspect of antimicrobial therapy: how to select an agent. There are really only two tables of suggested regimens, which although they could be memorized, are no better than, say, a copy of Sanford in the coat pocket. What medical students need most is an understanding of how to pick an agent, and there just isn't enough here to assist a student in how to prioritize one's options.
Forty-four chapters of bug-by-bug descriptions of all clinically signifiacnt pathogens follow. These discussions are all reasonably thorough and complete, although occasional tidbits are missing, such as whether rabies infects rodents or not, and some specific bacterium-disease relationships are omitted (e.g. Chromobacter violaceum and chronic granulomatous disease).
The book's other real strength and utility to medical students lies in the final twenty-three chapters, which discuss syndromes of infcetion. Here the studnet can learn what a cellulitis or a pneumonia really is, from a microbial point of view. Unfortunately, again, antibiotic choices are not well laid out for the reader.
In short, this is an excellent text for medical students, but not for house officers. The basic science is well described, but practical guidelines are scanty.
Strengths:
1. Strong discussion of host-parasite relationships, and infectious control.
2. Useful discussion of disease syndromes.
3. large, easy-to-read pages, with margin notes to quickly locate material of interest.
Weaknesses:
1. Weak on practical matters, such as antibiotic selection
Suggestions for next edition:
Add a section on antibiotic selection, and empiric approach to infection.
