"The Text Book of Allergy for Clinicians is the most up-to-date collection of information on various aspects of allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology, and related disciplines. The book represents the diversity of issues affecting patients of allergy and asthma. The book is unique with 35 different chapters authored by 25 experts in their respective fields from East and West. The first two chapters deal with basics of allergy mechanism and pathophysiology of asthma and clinical immunology. A detailed chapter on the history taking and in vivo skin prick test and in vitro diagnostics techniques of allergy and asthma is a practical guide to students and clinicians.
As an aid to allergy diagnosis, the book is designed to provide comprehensive information on pollen and fungal aerobiology with colored illustrations of plants and their pollen. Thus, the book focuses on allergy caused by pollen/spores and also by environmental pollutants.
The chapters in the book are designed to explicate the current practice of allergy in both pediatric and adult patients. The book encompasses different facets of allergy and asthma such as conjunctival, occupational, dermal, insect, and latex allergy. The chapters on Pulmonary Functions and Bronchial Provocation Tests and Role of Exhaled NO 2 in Asthma have been very clearly discussed and are of great significance to clinical practitioners. With increasing incidence of food allergy globally, the chapter of Food and Drug Allergy has added attraction for students and clinical practitioners besides good guide to patients.
The therapeutic interventions by allergen immunotherapy by subcutaneous methods prevalent in USA are elaborated by the author. However, only brief reference is provided for sublingual and modified allergen forms of therapeutic vaccines. In the posthuman genome sequencing era, a unique chapter on personalized medicine for asthma refers to tailoring of the entire gamut of clinical management of the individual patients molecular characteristics such as genomic, proteomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolic profiles. Personalized medicine will therefore be more proactive and preventive than traditional medicine, bringing the genomics in allergy and asthma in the forefront. The major issues of developed and developing countries in trained medical personnel in the field of allergy and asthma have been very carefully highlighted in the chapter Allergy-Asthma Practice: East versus West.
Interestingly giving the book a typical exposure to alternate medicine like yoga and Ayurveda, a traditional form of medicine established centuries ago in the East, is a unique contribution to the readers of the West. Although many colored figures are appended at the end of the book, there are numerous black and white figures in the text, which would have added further value to the book, if incorporated in color and at respective places.
The truly international makeup and approach of this textbook makes it really unique in the field of AAI. This is the first attempt to address this issue in a global fashion in a clinically oriented textbook. The book is, therefore, highly recommended for allergy practitioners, medical graduates, and postgraduates seeking the latest information on diagnosis, environmental, and therapeutic management of allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology."
AB Singh, Scientist Emeritus, Secretary Indian College of Allergy and Applied Immunology and Secretary General South Asia Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi University Campus, India
