Veterinary Clinical Parasitology, 7th ed.

Abstract

This coil-bound, soft-covered book is a handy and cost-effective laboratory manual for parasitology. The focus of this edition, as in the previous edition (1994), is the detection and identification of parasites of domestic animals in North America using techniques available in veterinary practice. The book also covers, to a lesser degree, exotic animals and wildlife, and includes expanded coverage of foreign parasites of global importance. This book meets its stated objective to emphasize morphologic identification of parasites while minimizing taxonomic details. This “real-world” emphasis makes it an invaluable addition to veterinary reference libraries in private practice, diagnostic laboratories, and academic institutions. Most of this book is devoted to parasite stages found in feces (Chapter 1) and blood (Chapter 3), and to arthropods (Chapter 4, with contributions by Ellis Greiner). There is some coverage of parasite stages in the urinary, reproductive, and integumentary systems and in the eye (Chapter 2), and in fish (Chapter 5, by Stephen Smith). At the beginning of each chapter, techniques are reviewed, including when and why to use a technique, diagnostic limitations, and concerns regarding sensitivity and specificity, and step-by-step protocols and recipes are provided. In Chapters 1 and 3, this is followed by descriptions of parasites organized by host species and then taxonomic group (protozoa, nematodes, cestodes, and trematodes). This organizational approach is user-friendly but leads to some unavoidable duplication. In Chapter 2, parasites are organized by location within the host, while in Chapters 4 and 5, parasites are organized by taxonomic group. The following descriptions pertaining to each parasite are new for this edition: scientific name, common name (organism or disease syndrome), taxonomic group, broad geographic distribution, host range and location in host, life cycle (including aspects of transmission and role of different hosts, but not detailed information such as pre-patent period), diagnosis (recommended tests, unreliable tests, distinguishing morphological features and size), and clinical importance (clinical signs, disease syndromes, zoonotic potential, qualitative prevalence in North America, but not management or treatment). Information is also provided in the captions accompanying the color figures (submitted by contributors from the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists), which greatly increase the utility and appeal of the book. Other highlights include a practical approach to the challenges of diagnostic parasitology — for example, common differential diagnoses, pseudoparasites, and artifacts due to suboptimal handling and storage. The index, cross-referencing of figures in the text, tables, and stylized diagrams (keys) describing distinguishing morphological and morphometric characters of parasites make this a useful reference text for veterinary students, technicians, and diagnosticians. Suggestions for future editions include a glossary, which would increase accessibility for non-parasitologists and help standardize terminology; a challenge with multiple authors. Citations of the primary literature on parasitological techniques would help readers to critically evaluate and choose techniques best suited to their purpose. Finally, the absence of scale bars on the figures is somewhat mystifying given the emphasis on measurement for identification, and consistent use of arrows and labels would greatly enhance the color pictures in this new edition.