A major portion of all of acute child neurology involves the neurological complications of infectious diseases. However, none of the currently available excellent texts on inf- tious disease focus specifically on the neurological aspects. Drs. Neil R. Friedman and Leslie L. Barton have filled this important void with a superb, multi-authored text, addressing directly "the neurological manifestations of pediatric infectious diseases and immunodeficiency syndromes. " The book is organized logically according to the responsible microorganisms and addresses sequentially a broad spectrum of viruses, bacteria, fungi, rickettsiae, spirochetes, mycobacteriae, and parasites, as well as cat-scratch disease and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The chapters are consistently similar in organization and begin with an introduction that provides a synopsis and perspective. The substance of the chapters follows in sections devoted to epidemiology, pathog- esis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and references. The discussions of epidemiology are particularly informative and current. The sections on pathogenesis include valuable neuropathology and critical distinctions among disorders caused by primary infection by the microorganism and those related to parainfectious and postinfectious immunological phenomena. The sections on clinical manifestations emphasize the neurological features and often are subdivided into specific neurolo- cal syndromes. Results of modern brain imaging are illustrated, and tables highlight neurological and other features. Sections on diagnosis are especially valuable and emphasize the value of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and related means of identifying microbial nucleic acids and proteins. The discussions of treatment areespecially current and valuable.
World Health Organization data documents that infectious diseases and immunodeficiencies are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world's children. In The Neurological Manifestations of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiency Syndromes, an authoritative, international panel of experts provide a succinct, up-to-date, evidence-based reference to the neurological consequences of infectious diseases and immunodeficiency syndromes in children in one readily accessible volume. Within each of its conveniently structured chapters, readers will find a general description of the disease or disorder, its epidemiology, etiology, clinical synopsis, neurological manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis and therapy.
Comprehensive yet concise, The Neurological Manifestations of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiency Syndromes is an ideal guide for pediatricians, primary care physicians and subspecialists to the complex relationships between infectious diseases, immunodeficiency syndromes and the neurological process.
