Infectious Diseases in Children and Newer Vaccines: Part 1. Editors Tapan Kr. Ghosh, Ritabrata Kundu, Nupur Ganguly, Monjori Mitra, published by IAP Infectious Disease Chapter, Kolkata. Pages 165. Price Rs. 200

Infectious diseases still constitute the major causes of childhood morbidity and mortality in our country. Indian Academy of Pediatrics has rightly constituted a separate specialty chapter of infectious diseases. The chapter has been doing a yomen work by organizing Updates / workshops/annual conferences to debate various important issues to control the infectious diseases. In the same manner, the chapter has brought out a book on these issues.

The chapters in this book can be divided into two sections: First section deals with the clinical features, laboratory tests and management protocols of some common pediatric infectious diseases. The topics have been chosen meticulously to give a broad-based knowledge to every pediatrician-practicing as well as those working in teaching institutions. The chapters have been well written with current available research in literature.

The later part of the book deals with the newer vaccines, which are either already available or going to become available very soon like acellular pertusis vaccine. The inclusion of chapters on SARS and molecular diagnosis in infection adds to the recent advances in these areas. The book has been well written except that few chapters have no references and there is no index in the last. The authors should keep these in mind for future publications. This book is a noble addition to the available literature in Pediatrics.

A.P. Dubey,
Professor, Department of Pediatrics,
Maulana Azad Medical College,
New Delhi 110002. India.