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BOOK REVIEW |
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Year : 2013 | Volume
: 31
| Issue : 4 | Page : 423 |
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Ananthanarayan and Paniker's Textbook of Microbiology
N Banaji
Professor and Head, Microbiology, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India
Date of Web Publication | 25-Sep-2013 |
Correspondence Address: N Banaji Professor and Head, Microbiology, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |

How to cite this article: Banaji N. Ananthanarayan and Paniker's Textbook of Microbiology. Indian J Med Microbiol 2013;31:423 |
 N Banaji Authors: Ananthnarayan and Paniker Editor: Arti Kapil Publisher: Universities Press, Hyderabad, India Year: 9 th Edition 2013 Price: Rs 550/-
Since its publication 35 years ago, this book has been popular among medical students in India. Subsequently, several new editions have been produced to keep pace with the evolution and advances in Medical Microbiology. The 2013 edition, is updated with new developments in the subject and has contributions by several eminent scientists and microbiologists.
Additional sections that add value are those on Medical Mycology, Clinical Microbiology and a new chapter on Biomedical Waste Management. A particularly useful feature is the summary of each chapter given along with a set of important questions. This provides guidance for students preparing for examinations. The introduction of clinical cases depicting patient scenarios, where relevant, is of help to both faculty and students in the practical use of information.
Medical graduates practicing in India, either in primary care or in any field of specialisation, should be aware of National recommendations and policies. In this regard, the availability of the guidelines of the Revised National Tuberculosis Programme (RNTCP), National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Government of India regulations in Biomedical Waste Management and the knowledge of emerging virus strains are of great value.
Besides the content, the subject matter is well organised, using simple language and illustrations, colour photographs, diagrammatic representations, data in tabular columns and algorithms supporting the text.
A matter of concern though with undergraduate textbooks, published in India , is the exhaustive content of theoretical details, which is of little importance to graduate students. This raises the question of whether the book is intended for a graduate or post-graduate student. Therefore, in a larger perspective, it is imperative that faculty make discerning use of the volume of information available in this book while addressing graduate students, and that publishers and authors focus on content relevant to the practice of Clinical Microbiology for medical students and practitioners.
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