Tuberculosis

Itwasthroughhis superbmonograph onbrucellosis,first publishedin 1989,that Icame toknowDr. M. MonirMadkourandlatertomeethimin Riyadh. Fromthis introduction, Iwasquicktoenlisthishelpasanauthorofthe Oxford Textbook ofMedicine. Hehas now turned his considerable talents as physician, author and editor to a disease at least as interesting but even more important, tuberculosis. Considered against the background ofa large literature on this subject, Dr. Madkour's monumental monograph is distinc­ tive in several respects. As he emphasises in his preface, his book, unlike most others published on tuberculosis in English, has not been written by western experts whose experienceofthediseaseisbased in developedcountries. The Kingdom ofSaudiArabia hasaffordedtheunusualcombinationofanabundanceofclinicalmaterialwithstate-of­ the-art facilities for laboratorydiagnosis,investigation,imagingandmedicalandsurgi­ cal management. Dr. Madkour and his four associate editors, all from the prestigious RiyadhArmed Forces Hospital,have assembled adistinguished internationalcast of64 authors;29 from theKingdom ofSaudiArabia, 16from Europe, 12from NorthAmerica, five from Asia and two from Africa. The result is an exciting,comprehensive and origi­ nal work incorporating awide range ofclinicaland scientific skills and experience and carryingenormous authority. Tuberculosis is the most prevalent of all bacterial infections, existing actively or in latent form in a third ofthe world's population. In the developing world,almost every­ oneis infectedandthe tuberclebacillus mightalmostberegardedaspartofthe normal human condition. Itis not surprisingthat the diseasehas playedsuch an importantrole in the political, social, industrial, artistic and scientific history of mankind. This com­ manding historical perspective is clearly identified in the two opening chapters. I was fascinated.

Description based upon print version of record.

Historical Background -- 1 Tuberculosis in Ancient Egypt -- 2 Historical Aspects of Tuberculosis -- Epidemiology -- 3 Global Epidemiology of Tuberculosis -- 4 Epidemiology of Tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia -- 5 The Molecular Epidemiology of Tuberculosis -- 6 Molecular Epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis -- 7 Tuberculosis in Special Groups and Occupational Hazards -- Microbiology, Immunology, Pathogenesis and Pathology -- 8 Microbiology of Tuberculosis -- 9 The Immunology and Pathogenesis of Tuberculosis -- 10 Pathology of Tuberculosis -- 11 Nontuberculous Mycobacteria -- Diagnosis -- 12 Serologie Testing for Tuberculosis -- 13 PCR and Diagnosis of Tuberculosis -- 14 Hematologic Findings in Mycobacterial Infections Among Immunosuppressed and Immunocompetent Patients -- 15 Immunodiagnostics for Latent Tuberculosis Infection -- Organ-related Chapters -- 16 Childhood Tuberculosis -- 17 Primary Tuberculosis in Adults -- 18 Miliary/Disseminated Tuberculosis -- 19 Tuberculosis and Pregnancy -- 20 Post-primary Pulmonary Tuberculosis -- 21 Endobronchial Tuberculosis -- 22 Pleural Tuberculosis -- 23 Radiology of Pulmonary Tuberculosis -- 24 Pulmonary Function Test and Tuberculosis -- 25 Thora…