Written primarily for undergraduate and graduate students reading immunology, the 20 case studies are also relevant for medical students and more advanced trainees in internal medicine. The book focuses on hypersensitivity reactions, where patients present physiologic responses and tissue damage to normally innocuous substances as a result of enhanced sensitivity. The authors chose to present case studies because learning is improved in the context of a real human experience. Furthermore, the learning experience and understanding is intended to recapitulate the way that clinicians and researchers first describe diseases, thus resulting in a more engaging, realistic approach to discovery. The audience that is familiar with Janeway’s Immunobiology will find the layout and figures comparable to that text, since it was written to complement the eighth edition of Janeway’s. It is also clear, concise, insightful, and useful.
Each case is preceded by an introduction that provides the necessary scientific concepts to comprehend the material. The data then evolves, as it would normally in real life, with the history of symptoms, physical examination, and diagnostic studies. Understanding the decision-making process for diagnosis and treatment is aided by the inclusion of doctors’ notes in the margins. Furthermore, the conclusion of each case includes known history, genetic dispositions, and statistics about each disease, creating a context that captivates the reader. Importantly, information is included about the immune response, cell types involved, signaling pathways, and chemokines that are known for each disease. This book is extremely successful at creating an interactive learning environment. Each case described ends with a number of questions to stimulate further thinking and help relate the disease mechanisms to fundamental immunological principles. This text is a genuinely stimulating read for the immunology enthusiast.