Practical Guide to Diagnostic Parasitology: (ASM Books)

An essential training aid and reference guide for laboratorians. Includes easy-to-follow collection and ordering guidelines and diagnostic techniques. Offers extensive discussion and a table to assist physicians with ordering the most appropriate diagnostic tests. Provides extensive information on method selection, clinical relevance, and test menus. Features diagnostic algorithms, summary tables, and identification keys. Presents comprehensive organism information on facing pages. Includes "how-to" tips based on 30 years of the author's benchwork experience Serves as a resource for microbiologists, physicians, medical technologists, public health personnel, teachers, and students.

Table of Contents:
Section 1. Philosophy and Approach to Diagnostic Parasitology Why Perform This Type of Testing? Who Should Perform Diagnostic Parasitology Testing? Where Should Diagnostic Parasitology Testing Be Performed? What Factors Should Precipitate Testing? What Testing Should Be Performed? What Factors Should Be Considered When Developing Test Menus? Risk Management Issues Associated with STAT Testing Section 2. Parasite Classification and Relevant Body Sites Protozoa (Intestinal) Protozoa (Other Body Sites) Protozoa (Blood and Tissue) Nematodes (Intestinal) Nematodes (Tissue) Nematodes (Blood and Tissue) Cestodes (Intestinal) Cestodes (Tissue) Trematodes (Intestinal) Trematodes (Liver and Lungs) Trematodes (Blood) Pentastomids Acanthocephala Table 2.1 Classification of Human Parasites Table 2.2 Cosmopolitan Distribution of Common Parasitic Infections Table 2.3 Body Sites and Possible Parasites Recovered Section 3. Collection Options Safety Collection of Fresh Stool Specimens Preservation of Stool Specimens Collection of Blood Collection of Specimens from Other Body Sites Table 3.1 Fecal Specimens for Parasites: Options for Collection and Processing Table 3.2 Approaches to Stool Parasitology: Test Ordering Table 3.3 Preservatives and Procedures Commonly used in Diagnostic Parasitology (Stool Specimens) Table 3.4 Advantages of the Thin and Thick Blood Films Table 3.5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Buffy Coat Films Table 3.6 Potential Problems of Using EDTA Anticoagulant for the Preparation of Thin and Thick Blood Films Table 3.7 Body Sites and Possible Parasites Recovered Section 4. Specimen Test Options: Routine Diagnostic Methods and Body Sites Ova and Parasite Examination of Stool Specimens Other Diagnostic Methods for Stool Specimens Testing of Other Intestinal Tract Specimens Urogenital Tract Specimens Sputum Aspirates Biopsy Specimens Blood Culture Methods Animal Inoculation and Xenodiagnosis Antibody and Antigen Detection Table 4.1: Body Site, Procedures and Specimens, Recommended Methods and Relevant Parasites, and Comments Table 4.2: Serologic, Antigen, and Probe Tests Used in the Diagnosis of Parasitic Infections Section 5. Specific Test Procedures and Algorithms Microscopy Ova and Parasite Examination Fecal Immunoassays for Intestinal Protozoa Larval Nematode Culture Other Methods for Gastrointestinal Tract Specimens Methods for Urogenital Tract Specimens Preparation of Blood Films Blood Stains Blood Concentration Algorithm 5.1: Procedure for Processing Fresh Stool for the O&P Examination Algorithm 5.2: Procedure for Processing Liquid Specimens for the O&P Examination Algorithm 5.3: Procedure for Processing Preserved Stool for the O&P Examination—Two-Vial Collection Kit Algorithm 5.4: Procedure for Processing SAF-Preserved Stool for the O&P Examination Algorithm 5.5: Use of Various Fixatives and Their Recommended Stains Algorithm 5.6: Ordering Algorithm for the Laboratory Examination for Intestinal Parasites Algorithm 5.7: Procedure for Processing Blood Specimens for Examination Table 5.1: Body Site, Specimen, and Recommended Stain(s) Table 5.2: Approaches to Stool Parasitology: Test Ordering Table 5.3: Laboratory Test Reports: Optional Comments Table 5.4: Parasitemia Determined from Conventional Light Microscopy: Clinical Correlation Section 6. Commonly Asked Questions about Diagnostic Parasitology Stool Parasitology Tissues or Fluids Blood Section 7. Parasite Identification Protozoa Nematodes Cestodes Trematodes Section 8. Identification Aids Tables 8.1 to 8.37 Identification Keys 8.1 to 8.4 Figures 8.1 to 8.3 Plates 8.1 to 8.4

About the Author :
Lynne Shore Garcia is the director of LSG & Associates, a firm providing training, teaching, and consultation services for diagnostic medical parasitology and health care administration. A former manager of the UCLA Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, she is a sought-after speaker (nationally and internationally) and author of hundreds of articles, book chapters, and books including two ASM Press books, Clinical Laboratory Management, Second Edition and Diagnostic Medical Parasitology, Sixth Edition. About ASM The American Society for Microbiology has over 30,000 members, including researchers, educators and health professionals, ASM is one of the largest life science societies in the world. Discover ASM books by internationally renowned authors and editors with expertise in a broad range of microbiology disciplines.

Review :
REVIEW 1 For most microbiologists, diagnostic parasitology is a small but important part of their clinical practice. Consequently, there is a need for a comprehensive laboratory guide enabling trainees to gain essential knowledge and to continue to provide bench-side advice throughout a career. The second edition of this practical guide by Lynee Garcia achieves this aim and is highly recommended. The introductory chapters that explain the philosophy of parasitic diagnosis and provide an overview of available methods are especially useful. All human parasites are here. It is comprehensively and generally well-illustrated, notably the line drawings. Some of the pictures have too low a resolution, and colour for malaria and other blood protozoa would have improved the utility. Systematic descriptions of each diagnostic target are helpful. The only weakness is the lack of molecular diagnostics, which might merit a separate chapter in future. Despite this, Garcia's newest edition is a 'must buy' for trainees and established microbiologists. Society for General Microbiology: Microbiology Today Review Date: February 2010 -Stephen Gillespie, Royal Free University College Medical School REVIEW 2 At A Glance Designed as a training aid and rapid reference for laboratorians, this volume supplements the large standard textbooks in clinical parasitology, providing comprehensive information for practicing microbiologists, physicians, medical technologists, and students. * Covers key diagnostic techniques * Extensive information on method selection and clinical relevance * Diagnostic algorithms, tables, and identification keys * Comprehensive organism information on facing pages * Offers tips from 20 years of bench experience. Description This is the second edition of a book that delivers exactly what is promised in the title — a practical guide to diagnostic parasitology. Purpose It is designed as a guide for the bench user. These most worthy objectives are admirably met by this edition. Audience This book would be very desirable for clinical laboratory scientists (CLS) or public health microbiologists in practice or in training. It also would be of interest to primary healthcare providers practicing in areas of the world where parasitic diseases are endemic and who may be responsible for treatment decisions (and maybe parasite identification too). Finally, it would be of interest to anyone in the healthcare professions interested in diagnostic parasitology. The author is acknowledged internationally as the expert in parasitology (she's commonly referred to as "the goddess" of diagnostic parasitology). Features This seemingly small book is chock full of important diagnostic parasitology information. It contains many new updates from the first edition that address major shifts in medical parasitology related to the ease of global travel, ensuing appearance of parasitic diseases in new geographic locations, ever decreasing lack of trained diagnostic parasitologists (and hence the need for books like this), and shifts in diagnostic testing trends (i.e., from microscopic diagnosis to antigen detection, serology, etc.). There are three truly notable sections. One is section 6, on commonly asked questions about diagnostic parasitology. This outstanding section has the answers to all those pesky questions you get asked and have to research for an answer. (It actually reads like the ClinMicroNet listserve!). Another is section 7 on parasite identification, which is the bread-and-butter of this book — pictures and all the relevant information you could ever want about any parasite. Finally, what I liked the best (because I can't find it anywhere else) are the final three photomicrograph plates at the very end of the book depicting artifacts and things that look like parasites but aren't. These are the pictures I will refer to the most. Every other section is equally superb. For example, there is a section on specimens, processing, and fixatives — everything you could ever want to know about what specimen to submit, how best to handle or process it, which stain to use, etc., to make an accurate diagnosis. My only (and very minor) gripe is that the photomicrographs are in black and white. It would have been lovely to have them in color. Assessment This is THE book on diagnostic parasitology. Get it. -Valerie Ng, PhD, MD, (Alameda County Medical Center/Highland Hospital)