Summary:
Forms part of the best selling and well respected In Practice Series which has been devised by RSM Press to present cutting-edge and clear-cut opinion leader advice and summary acts related to every day clinical practice. In the modern era where rapid and relatively easy global travel is commonplace, the spread of infectious diseases, particularly influenza, represents a very real and almost annual threat to communities worldwide. Current extensive and global interest in influenza lies in the increasingly common reports of the transmission of a number of avian influenza virus strains to humans. Due to the high morbidity and mortality rates observed in humans infected by these strains, influenza is currently under the spotlight. These widespread outbreaks have sometimes been accompanied by disruption to essential health care and other services. The epidemics and outbreaks of influenza have also given rise to considerable adverse publicity, largely directed at the government of the time and its policies, or lack of them, for dealing with such eventualities. The fact that such illness, death and disruption can still occur in a modern society, in spite of the availability of both a vaccine against the infection by the virus and the spread of influenza virus strains, illustrates the magnitude of the problem. With doctors under pressure to respond to the growing concerns of anxious patients, this book not only addresses important issues about influenza but also provides answers to questions which the medical practitioner may not feel qualified to answer. With its accessible approach, broken down into easy to read chapters, this book tells the medical practitioner everything they need to know about influenza and the implications of avian flu. Besides reviewing and updating the biological characteristics of the influenza viruses, this key text explains the epidemiological and immune mechanisms that have important roles in, and form the background to, the pathogenesis of influenza infection. The book covers: - The clinical features of influenza as it appears in different population groups - The current situation with respect to the use of vaccines for immunization against influenza - The nature and rationale behind the recent development of the anti-influenza drugs - The management of influenza in general practice - This revised and updated edition also includes the new NICE guidelines on the treatment of influenza This is an indispensable guide for medical practitioners working in either the general community or industrial- or company-based practices. This highly topical book will also be found useful by hospital-based consultants, junior doctors, nursing staff and other individuals connected with the healthcare profession.

Reviews: