Book Review
Post date: 04 June 2008
B Positive - all you wanted to know about hepatitis B: a guide for primary care providers. Reviewed by Professor Graham Cooksley
As I read through the pages of this monograph I thought what a pot of gold this book was. It was purported to be written for primary care providers but it is much more than that and is a resource book for gastroenterologists (both paediatric and adult), epidemiologists and officers in public health as well as a myriad of other professionals for whom hepatitis B may impact on their vocational role, such as nurses, teachers, surgeons, obstetricians and dentists, and staff in a variety of emergency services.
The book is comprehensive and commences with epidemiology, proceeds to virology, natural history and then prevention-the most important weapon in combating this disease. It then deals with clinical assessment, laboratory assays and diagnostic strategies and the problems of hepatocellular cancer and proceeds to treatment in a variety of clinical settings. Finally it deals with the issues in occupational health and confidentiality and legal issues.
The contributors to each chapter have given a most up to date authoritative account of the topic and yet have kept it practical and readable. Even patients may wish to consult this book to gain an understanding of this disease. This disease is arguably the most challenging of all, and although it will be a long time before we can boast that we have defeated it, this book tells us that in Australia we have the expertise needed and we can all feel proud of this book.