Fungal Infection (eBook)

Malcolm D. Richardson - University Hospital of South Manchester and Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester David W. Warnock - National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

Preface to the fourth edition xxvi

Preface to the first edition xxviii

Acknowledgements xxix

1 Introduction 1

2 Laboratory diagnosis of fungal infection 12

3 Antifungal drugs 32

4 Dermatophytosis 91

5 Superficial candidosis 121

6 Other cutaneous fungal infections 138

7 Mould infections of nails 151

8 Keratomycosis 156

9 Otomycosis 162

10 Aspergillosis 166

11 Invasive candidosis 201

12 Cryptococcosis 236

13 Mucormycosis 253

14 Pneumocystosis 264

15 Blastomycosis 277

16 Coccidioidomycosis 288

17 Histoplasmosis 304

18 Paracoccidioidomycosis 322

19 Chromoblastomycosis 332

20 Entomophthoromycosis 338

21 Mycetoma 344

22 Sporotrichosis 352

23 Hyalohyphomycosis 362

24 Penicillium marneffei infection 376

25 Phaeohyphomycosis 383

26 Other invasive yeast infections 396

27 Unusual fungal and pseudofungal infections 405

Select bibliography 419

Index 421

The third edition of this book has never been far away from my
office phone and is now quite tatty, so I am delighted to review
the new fourth edition, written by the same two experts. This book
is an easy but detailed guide to fungal infections, ranging from
those seen regularly by clinical microbiologists and infectious
diseases specialists, such as Candida and Aspergillus, to exotic
diseases seen only outside the UK such as Pythiosis. The emphasis
of the book is on clinical presentation, specimen collection,
interpretation of laboratory findings and management of the
patient.

The new edition is a little larger than the previous one, but will
still sit nicely on the desk. It has the same 27 chapters, most of
which have been extensively revised and some new ones substituted.
The chapters are based around clinical syndromes so, for example,
there is quite a long chapter on dermatophyte infections and a
shorter one on mycetoma. The chapter on antifungal drugs is much
longer due to the addition of agents such as posaconazole and the
newer echinocandins. New chapters have been added on
Pneumocystosis, and 'Unusual fungi and Pseudofungal
infections'. At the end of each chapter is a useful guide to
further reading.

Each chapter has a set of standard headings: definition,
geographical distribution, causal organisms and habitat,
epidemiology, clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis,
essential investigations and their interpretation, management,
prevention. This, coupled with the detailed index, makes it easy to
find the bit of information you need. In particular, I found the
chapter on histoplasma most helpful when working on an online
clinical interpretation scenario!

As the authors say in the introduction, there have been a number of
significant developments in the diagnosis and management of fungal
infections since the last edition. Patients are now more complex by
nature of their illness or their medical management, and the
potential for opportunistic infection in the immunosuppressed has
increased. Although the book was published in 2012, the basics of
fungal infection such as microscopy and culture do not change. The
extended chapter on laboratory diagnosis covers new techniques in
serology and molecular diagnosis. At the moment, there is a lack of
rapid and cost-effective tests in this area; many of the assays
being performed are not standardised and some more trials are
needed. I hope this section will be the one that goes out of date
first, as more rapid or molecular tests are added to the diagnostic
setting.

I will keep this book on my desk as quick reference during a phone
call, but also as a more detailed guide to managing patients with
invasive fungal infections. I recommend it to anyone who deals with
fungal infections, whether in the laboratory or out on the wards,
and to trainees and students as well. (Dr Fiona E. Donald,
Consultant Medical Microbiologist, Nottingham University Hospitals,
RCPATH Bulletin, October 2013)