Antimicrobial Therapy in Veterinary Medicine, 4th ed.

The 4th edition of this book is a revised and updated version of the previous edition. Although shorter than the previous edition, each page carries more information because of the easy-to-read double column format and larger page size. This edition is divided into 4 sections and 39 chapters, has information on newer drugs, and has updated bacterial names. Section I is on the general principles of antimicrobial therapy. Section II deals with the various classes of antimicrobial agents. Sections III and IV provide information on special considerations, and antimicrobial use in selected animal species, respectively. Unlike the previous edition, anthelmintic chemotherapy is not included in the new edition. However coccidiosis is mentioned under individual drugs. Chapter 1 has minimal changes from the previous edition. Chapter 2 (Antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods and interpretation) contains revised and extended information, and new figures. The book would have been more useful to veterinary diagnostic laboratories if zone size and MIC interpretation standards for animal pathogens (CLSI) had been included. Chapter 3 (Antimicrobial resistance and its epidemiology) has been extensively revised and restructured and has more figures and tables. One correction is required in Table 3.2 (page 31) where it is indicated that most Gram positive bacteria are intrinsically resistant to quinolones, which is not true. Also, it may be useful to mention the plasmid curing properties of growth promoting antibiotics such as flavomycin in this chapter, or in the chapter on growth promoters. Chapter 4 (Principles of antimicrobial drug bioavailability and disposition) is excellent, and includes considerations in pregnant animals, and neonatal animals. Chapter 5 on pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship of antimicrobial agents is thorough, and the discussion on bacteriostatic versus bactericidal properties is good. The chapters on various classes of antibacterial drugs have been revised, and read well. A caution regarding the disrupting effect of useful enteric flora by clindamycin and resulting super infection with salmonella would have been useful to small animal practitioners. In the chapter on tetracyclines, it would have been useful to state the difference between oxytetracycline and doxycycline; the figure on structural formula (page 232) does not show any difference. The chapter on antifungal therapy in this new edition has new tables and figures, including a figure on the action of antifungal agents. Some improvements, including additional references, are evident in the chapter on antiviral chemotherapy, although the list of commercially available drugs remains the same as in the previous edition. New chapters entitled ‘Antimicrobial therapy of selected organ systems’ and ‘Prophylactic use of antimicrobial agents and antimicrobial chemotherapy for the neutropenic patient’ have been added, although the core information on these topics was present in the previous edition. The chapter on growth promoters is updated; however, flavomycin is not included in the index. The chapter on regulation of anti-biotic use in animals contains several useful figures and tables. The chapter entitled ‘Prudent use of antibiotics’ is a welcome addition. With regard to the chapters on antimicrobial use in various animal species, significant improvements and updates over the previous edition are obvious. ‘Antimicrobial use in new world camelids’ is an entirely new chapter. Protozoal infections are included in the chapters dealing with each animal species, except in Chapter 35 (Antimicrobial use in poultry), which deals with antibacterial drugs only. Also, some of the useful tables of the previous edition are not seen in this chapter of the new edition. These changes, though disappointing to some users, are minor, and do not significantly affect the high quality of the new edition. Overall, the 4th edition of Antimicrobial Therapy in Veterinary Medicine is an excellent and up-to-date source of information for veterinary students, practitioners, diagnostic laboratories, teachers of veterinary medicine, and others dealing with antimicrobial drugs.