Pages: 686 Price: US $169 With 4 000 biomedical journals currently available and more being
added seemingly every month one of the most overwhelming and daunting tasks for any health
professional is to stay current with the literature. A welcomed lifeline has been the World
Class Parasites series of publications that have made this challenge much easier to manage. The
latest text (Volume 11) Food-Borne Parasitic Zoonoses: Fish and Plant-Borne Parasites is a
superb addition to this series. Murrell and Fried have brought together a stellar group of
contributors In a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the helminthic zoonoses that are
transmitted through fi sh and plant consumption. Given that the distribution and effect of
these zoonoses remain woefully underappreciated they Are deserving of the justifiable
attention brought by this book. The first 9 chapters provide a thorough discussion of
intestinal Liver and lung flukes fish-borne tapeworms and tissue nematodes. Two superb
chapters on immunologic aspects and molecular epidemiology of these parasites complete the
text. There is much to extol in this volume. In an era of justifi able focus on molecular
biology and genetics it is heartening to see the broad-based and integrated approach taken by
the editors and collaborators. This approach successfully accomplishes the stated objective of
the editors to celebrate the diversity of approach that comprises modern parasitological
research. The chapters are clearly written and well organized with a balance of both classic
historic articles as well as important recent work. The editors and authors have obviously made
a priority of ensuring that the material is widely accessible to scientists and health
professionals in diverse disciplines. They have presented detailed information on the biology
life cycles natural history diagnosis treatment epidemiology and control of the agents or
infections discussed. Current diagnostic techniques are thoroughly addressed. Insightful
discussion is provided at the end of each chapter on current gaps in knowledge and research
needs that offers a coherent roadmap for future studies. The chapter on intestinal
capillariasis by Cross and Belizario is particularly noteworthy. Abundant images of exceptional
quality are included and this adds substantially to the text. More color images would have been
of value but they may have made the text prohibitively expensive. Some chapters could have had
additional discussion of epidemiologic aspects and a few typos can be found but these do not
diminish the value of this outstanding work. Food-Borne Parasitic Zoonoses: Fish and
Plant-Borne Parasites is a text of exceptional quality that should have broad appeal and
utility for health professionals researchers medical and public health students and policy
makers. Given the increasing interest in neglected tropical diseases this book is a timely and
commendable work that will promote efforts to reduce the effects of these parasitic agents.
Frank J. SorvilloAuthor affiliation: University of California Los Angeles California USA DOI:
10.3201 eid1409.080495 Address for correspondence: Frank J. Sorvillo Department of
Epidemiology School of Public Health University of California Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
email: fsorvill@ucla.edu
