Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases- 2-Volume Set Description:

Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases: 2-Volume Set review:
5 stars (The book you need) - As an infectious disease fellow, I recommend that anyone who want be an ID man should have such a book. Most infectious problems and diseases have been detailed in this book, although there are far going of emerging diseases and new antibiotics.The only shortcomes of this book are lackiing comprehensive details and reveiw of antimicrobial therapy for some disease entities.
5 stars (A good clinical microbiology text) - The two volume set is indeed a comprehensive reference work, but individual chapter can be read by themselves. I use this book on almost a daily basis, the only negative against it is that such a large book by its size can only be updated at intervals of a number of years so a folder in which to put your acculated journal articles next to it, until the next edition is advised as, infectious diseases is not a static field. Since there is a CD rom available now that may well be worth checking out. In closing for anybody involved in anything from clinical microbiology to a infectious disease specialist this book is a must.
5 stars (Every Infectious Disease specialist has one!) - I'm an Infectious Diseases fellow, and everyone who rotates through this training program, obtains in some way or another, a copy of this book. It is an awesome review of every known topic in infectious diseases. The first volume consists of I. Principles II. Syndromes. Principles focuses on topics ranging from antibiotics, their mechanism of action, pharmocokinetics and methods of bacterial resistance, to epidemiology and infection control. Syndromes focuses on various clinical problems from the "common cold" to endocarditis. These are heavily researched, and supported with your standard references section for further investigation. Each disease is discussed in detail and includes clinical symptoms, epidemiology, etiology, complications, and treatment. My only criticism is that the treatment sections - often the focus of any infectious disease consult, lack in sufficient detail. And often remain perhaps intentionally vague because of the controversy that exists in the literature regarding treatment duration, and antibiotic choice.The second volume has two sections III. Microbes IV. Problems. Microbes goes into excellent detail regarding each individual pathogen and leaves no stone unturned. The Problems section discusses various clinical situations often facing the infectious disease specialist, infections in the transplant patient, immunization issues, prophylaxis for surgeries.This textbook was written primarily as a reference by doctors for other doctors, and is certainly not a leisurely read to follow up The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. But if you're looking for the ultimate reference textbook dealing with infectious diseases, look no further, and have no doubt. Mandell is what you're looking for.