Worldwide gut bug | |
Helicobacter pylori: techniques for clinical diagnosis and basic research. Adrian Lee and Francis Megrand. London: Harcourt Brace 1996 (xiv + 305 pp.). |
The bacterium Helicobacter
pylori is now well established as an important cause of gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastric malignancy. It is the most common bacterial pathogen worldwide and its impact on human upper gastrointestinal disease is enormous. This book reviews some of the techniques involved in routine clinical diagnosis as well as basic research in relation to Helicobacter pylori. The editors are experts in the area of microbiology and have been actively involved in basic research in this area since the organism was first described in 1982. The contributors have all had extensive experience in their respective areas of research. The book consists of twenty-two chapters, each dedicated to an important technique. It presents the background to the technique and a description of the method, followed by a section on potential problems and recommended or current applications. Each chapter has an appendix detailing the materials needed and recipes for solutions or media. This layout makes the individual sections easy to read. Ample tables, diagrams and photomicrographs are provided, and the references are up to date and appropriate. The sections on tips and traps for young players are a highlight of this book. They provide inside knowledge of methods which are often not given in standard texts. Unfortunately, there is little information regarding physiological techniques, such as acid secretion and assessment of gastric motility, and other models involved in Helicobacter pylori research have not been reviewed. Overall, this is an important contribution to the literature and would be suitable for anyone involved in clinical or basic research on Helicobacter pylori. Peter Midolo
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