From the Publisher
"Wilson's final two chapters are notable for suggesting methods to reduce the need for antibiotics and presenting newer approaches to diagnosing and treating bacterial infections." —Tony Miksanek, Booklist
Doody's Review Service
Reviewer: Dyanne L Medlock, BSN (VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System)
Description: This book takes readers on a unique journey through the history of antibiotics and their uses, not only in humans, but also in animals and even plants. It explores resistance and its consequences, as well as different approaches to attacking this problem.
Purpose: The purpose, according to the author, is to examine the personal and societal implications of the misuse of antibiotics. It then considers the causes and consequences of bacterial resistance and how globalization enables it to spread quickly. This book is a needed resource within not only the medical community, but also agriculture, and it is presented at a level that is easy to comprehend. This book readily meets its objectives.
Audience: The book targets anyone who works with or is affected by the use and misuse of antibiotics. The title includes the phrase "what everyone needs to know," and almost everyone could read it. It is not filled with a lot of medical terminology, making it easy for a lay reader to follow. The book meets the needs of most in the medical profession. While it does address the agricultural uses of antibiotics, it is unlikely that this book would appeal to those in agriculture because the majority of the book does not focus on this area. The author writes simply and clearly. This is a positive thing for individuals who don't have a medical background. This makes the book accessible for a large audience.
Features: With the chapter on origins of antibiotics, I thought I was going to get a basic review. Instead, I gained a brand-new perspective and appreciation for the origins of antibiotics. It is not a basic microbiology history but rather an exploration of historical facts, some rather interesting. The discussion of nonhuman use of antibiotics is fascinating; in fact, it is one of the best aspects of the book and the reason it stands out. It begs the question of why there aren't more individuals in the medical profession having discussions with those in the agricultural industry and lawmakers when the impact of agricultural use of antibiotics is so great on our society. It's only been in recent years that the food industry is openly marketing and advertising meat from animals not exposed to antibiotics. The book also examines antibiotic use within the produce industry and highlights the high cost of these uses. I would have preferred to see more extensive discussions of nonhuman use. Finally, development of new antibacterial treatments explores current treatments being used and some that are not as well known. My favorite part of this chapter is the priority list for investment.
Assessment: This book is extremely well written with the intention of enabling individuals from all walks of life to understand the majority of its content. I've not seen another book on antibiotics and antibiotic resistance that is as all-encompassing as this one and presented in a format that is so easy to read.
