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| BOOK REVIEW |
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| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 28
| Issue : 2 | Page : 107 |
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The text book of allergy for the clinicians
AB Singh
Scientist Emeritus, Secretary Indian College of Allergy and Applied Immunology and Secretary general South Asia association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi University Campus, Delhi - 110 007, India
| Date of Web Publication | 15-Sep-2014 |
Correspondence Address:
A B Singh
Scientist Emeritus, Secretary Indian College of Allergy and Applied Immunology and Secretary general South Asia association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi University Campus, Delhi - 110 007
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0972-6691.140794
How to cite this article:
Singh A B. The text book of allergy for the clinicians. Indian J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2014;28:107 |
Editors: P.K. Vedanthan, Harold Nelson, Shripad N. Agashe, P.A. Mahesh and Rohit Katial
Publisher: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, London, New York
Pages: 516 pp.
Year: February 2014
Price: £108.00
Figures: 119 colored figures
ISBN: 978-1-4665-9833 (Hardback)
The "Text Book of Allergy for Clinicians" is the most up to date collection of information on various aspects of allergy, asthma and clinical immunology, and related disciplines. The book represents diversity of issues affecting patients of allergy and asthma. The book is unique with 35 different chapters authored by 25 experts in their respective fields from East and West. The first two chapters deals with basics of allergy mechanism and pathophysiology of asthma and clinical immunology. A detailed chapter on the history taking and in vivo skin prick test and in vitro diagnostics techniques of allergy and asthma is a practical guide to students and clinicians.
As an aid to allergy diagnosis, the book is designed to provide comprehensive information on pollen and fungal aerobiology with colored illustrations of plants and their pollen. Thus, the book focuses on allergy caused by pollen/spores and also by environmental pollutants.
The chapters in the book are designed to explicate the current practice of allergy in both pediatric and adult patients of allergy. The book encompasses different facets of allergy and asthma such as conjunctival, occupational, dermal, insect, and latex allergy. The chapters on "Pulmonary Functions and Bronchial Provocation Tests" and "Role of Exhaled NO 2 in Asthma" have been very clearly discussed and are of great significance to clinical practitioners. With increasing incidence of food allergy globally, the chapter of "Food and Drug Allergy" have added attraction for students and clinical practitioners besides good guide to patients.
The therapeutic interventions by allergen immunotherapy by subcutaneous methods prevalent in USA are elaborated by the author. However, only brief reference is provided for sublingual and modified allergen forms of therapeutic vaccines. In the posthuman genome sequencing era a unique chapter on personalized medicine for asthma refers to tailoring of the entire gamut of clinical management of the individual patients molecular characteristics such as genomic, proteomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolic profiles. Personalized medicine will therefore be a more proactive and preventive than traditional medicine bringing the genomics in allergy and asthma in the forefront. The major issues of developed and developing countries in trained medical personnels in the field allergy and asthma has been very carefully highlighted in the chapter "Allergy-Asthma Practice: East versus West".
Interestingly, by giving the book a typical exposure to alternate medicine like yoga and Ayurveda, a traditional form of medicine established centuries ago in East, is a unique contribution to the readers of the West. Although many colored figures are appended at the end of the book but there are numerous black and white figures in the text, which would have added further value to the book, if incorporated in colors and at respective places.
The truly international makeup and approach of this textbook makes, it really unique in the field of AAI. This is the first attempt to address this issue in a global fashion in a clinically oriented textbook. The book is, therefore, highly recommended for allergy practitioners, medical graduates, and postgraduates seeking latest information on diagnosis, environmental, and therapeutic management of allergy, asthma and clinical immunology.
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