Hall WA, Kim PD, eds. Neurosurgical Infectious Disease. Thieme; 2013; 336 pgs.; 134 illustrations; $129.99.

The book Neurosurgical Infectious Disease will be of interest not only to neurosurgeons (the target audience) but also to radiologists. One gains an insight into how infections of various types are approached from a neurosurgical/medical standpoint. This 317-page hardcover book edited by Drs. Hall and Kim (both neurosurgeons) has topics that touch all areas of concern to the neurosurgeon, and the infections described encompass virtually all agents—including some rare infections one is unlikely ever to encounter, such as hydatid cysts of the spine—and their manifestations. One short chapter (12 pages) deals exclusively with the radiology of CNS infections (written by two neuroradiologists, Drs. Patel and Truwit).  As you would imagine, however, imaging is spread liberally throughout all chapters.

Background chapters on immunology, microbiology, antibiotics/resistence, and the aforementioned chapter on radiology constitute the first part of the books.

Following this, the editors have 4 chapters devoted to the causative infections (viral, fungal, parasitic, and bacterial). Many, of course, are well out of the purview of neurosurgery (eg, the viral infections). Then the book deals with a section concerning where those infections take place (meningeal, epi/subdural, vascular system, vertebral column, intraspinal).

Chapters devoted to pediatrics, immunecompromised patients, ICU issues, and infected implanted devices comprise the remainder of the book.