|
|
Book Review
Infection and Autoimmunity
Yehuda Shoenfeld and Noel R. Rose, editors
Elsevier, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2004
ISBN: 0-444-51271-3
Pages: 747; Price: US $192.00
Suggested
citation for this article
As the editors imply in their introduction, the relationship of infection
and autoimmunity is complex, compelling, and best viewed as a physiologic
process and potential consequence of normal immune recognition and immunoregulation.
The editors boldly state that reading the chapters in this book brings
one to the conclusion that all autoimmune diseases are infectious, until
proven otherwise (my paraphrase). Add environmental triggers to the mix,
and most investigators would agree.
The book is divided into 3 broad sections: mechanisms of autoimmunity;
specific infectious agents and their associated autoimmune diseases; and,
conversely, specific autoimmune diseases and their associated infectious
agents. The chapters in the mechanisms section focus on particular mechanisms,
and with 1 exception, are scholarly and well done. However, this section
lacks a review or balanced discussion of the various mechanisms of autoimmunity
and proof of causation. Fortunately, the first article in the pathogen
section by Denman and Rager-Zisman provides an excellent overview. As
with any compendium (56 chapters by more than 100 authors), the quality
varies, but all are written by investigators who have made substantial
contributions to the field. The book is recommended for clinical investigators
with some background in infectious disease or immunology as a starting
point and ready resource for the current state of knowledge in the field.
John S. McDougal*
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Suggested citation
for this article:
McDougal JS. Infection
and autoimmunity [book review]. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet].
2006 Mar [date cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no03/05-1409.htm
|
