For >25 years, Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases has been the standard against which all other textbooks in the field have been compared. The sixth edition of this outstanding book has upheld its previous standards while improving its presentation of material, both written and graphic. The book is accompanied by a CD-ROM that includes all of the illustrations, organized by chapter, contained in the cloth edition of the book, as well as Internet access to the online edition. The book is organized into the following 4 sections: basic principles of diagnosis and management; major clinical syndromes; pathogens and special problems, such as nosocomial infections; and travel-related illness.
In evaluating a textbook, the most important points to consider are its currency, authoritativeness, thoroughness, presentation, and practical utility. Producing a comprehensive textbook about infectious diseases posed several unique challenges. In the years since the previous edition, the world has been confronted with novel infections, the newly recognized threat of bioterrorism, and a variety of other emerging threats. The editors and authors have met this challenge remarkably well. A brief illustration of the currency of information is the discussion of severe acute respiratory syndrome. In elegant fashion, the chapter authors review the brief history of this infection from a clinical and virological standpoint by addressing its clinical manifestations, diagnosis, therapy, epidemiology, and molecular biology in the context of other coronavirus infections, citing numerous references published as recently as late 2003.
The authoritative nature of the information presented is impressive. The book has undergone a complete revision since the previous edition, and the nearly 400 authors include most of the leaders in the field of infectious diseases in the United States.
As indicated by the organization of the book, material is presented from a variety of perspectives. This contributes to the thoroughness of the discussion of individual organisms and clinical scenarios. Although this organization would ordinarily lend itself to contradictions between chapters by various authors, I found no substantial examples of conflicting information.
The presentation of material has been improved by the introduction of color and the inclusion of >1200 illustrations. The quality of the writing is almost uniformly lucid and well focused.
The practical utility of this book cannot be overstated. I purposely prepared this review during a month that I served as the supervising attending physician on a busy infectious diseases consultation service. The information and insights needed in making clinical judgements and in teaching fellows, residents, and students during this month were virtually all well covered and convenient to locate in this book. When I reviewed the previous edition, I felt that more space could have been devoted to travel-related infections. The current edition has expanded the treatment of this topic and includes an excellent, well constructed and timely discussion.
Is this book perfect? No. The challenges of publication deadlines and the steady flow of new information has made textbook writing an extremely difficult task. Nuances of rare infections are not always fully covered. Advances in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies continue and frustrate even the most diligent authors in their efforts to keep their written material current. The predominance of US-based authors might have introduced subtle biases. Nonetheless, Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 6th Edition, is the finest medical textbook I have owned in any area of medicine during my 30-year career. It is indispensable for the practicing infectious diseases consultant and belongs in the library of every trainee in our field. Practitioners of many other disciplines, such as microbiology, immunology, oncology, pulmonology, critical care, and general internal medicine, among others, would also find great value in this book, and the current edition belongs in every medical school and university library. It is simply a masterpiece.
Acknowledgments
Potential conflicts of interest. J.R.M.: no conflicts.