EBookClubs

Read Books & Download eBooks Full Online

EBookClubs

Read Books & Download eBooks Full Online

Book Molecular and serological tools for clinical diagnostics of Lyme borreliosis   can the laboratory analysis be improved

Download or read book Molecular and serological tools for clinical diagnostics of Lyme borreliosis can the laboratory analysis be improved written by Malin Lager and published by Linköping University Electronic Press. This book was released on 2020-10-20 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lyme borreliosis (LB) is caused by spirochetes within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex and is the most common tick-transmitted disease in the northern hemisphere. The transmission of the spirochetes to humans in Europe is done by the Ixodes ricinus ticks, which can also transmit the relapsing fever species Borrelia miyamotoi. LB may cause clinical manifestations in the skin, in the central nervous system, in joints, and in the heart. Diagnosis of LB is mainly based on the patient´s medical history, self-described symptoms, and clinical signs in combination with the detection of Borrelia-specific antibodies (serological methods). In some cases/issues, detection of Borrelia-specific deoxyribonucleic acid (molecular methods) may be used as a complement to serology. All diagnosed LB infections are treated with antibiotics to prevent disease progression, and most patients fully recover without further sequelae. The overall aims of this thesis were to evaluate molecular and serological tools for laboratory diagnosis of LB, with a special focus on Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), and to identify potential improvements. The results presented in this thesis showed that the immunoglobulin (Ig) G assays, currently in use in northern Europe for detection of antibodies in serum, had high diagnostic sensitivity (88 %) together with comparable results both between and within assays. For the IgM assays, the diagnostic sensitivity was lower (59 %) with more heterogeneous results. Small variations in diagnostic performance for IgM and IgG were mainly presented for samples within the borderline zone. These results support the theory that separate testing of IgM antibodies in serum has low diagnostic value. However, simultaneous detection in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for both IgM and IgG antibodies was essential for the diagnosis of LNB, at least for certain assays. So far (to our knowledge), no systematic evaluation and optimisation of the pre-analytical handling of CSF samples before molecular testing has been performed. By use of the precipitate concentrated by moderate centrifugation, extraction of total nucleic acid followed by reversetranscription to complementary deoxyribonucleic acid, in combination with the absence of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors, detection of Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, and B. miyamotoi was possible. These four species are all known to be pathogenic to humans. The results revealed a high analytical sensitivity and specificity for the optimised pre-analytical conditions. The thesis also presents results showing that the real-time PCR protocols currently used in Scandinavia have high analytical sensitivity, specificity, and concordance. This indicates that the low diagnostic sensitivity for detection of Borrelia in CSF was not a result of poorly designed and evaluated PCR protocols, but was possibly due to the low number of spirochetes in the samples. However, to further evaluate the diagnostic performance for detection of Borrelia in CSF by PCR, clinical samples need to be evaluated based on our new recommendations for the pre-analytical handling of CSF samples. In conclusion, this thesis presents results revealing that both molecular and serological tools for detection of Borrelia have, in general high sensitivity and specificity with results comparable between different protocols and different laboratories. It also presents recommendations for pre-analytical handling of CSF samples before PCR-analysis, and shows the benefits in diagnostic performance by simultaneous detection of IgM and IgG antibodies in serum and CSF for accurate diagnosis of LNB. Even though the techniques mentioned above have high analytical performance, the ability to discriminate an active infection from a previous one is limited and further studies need to be carried out. These studies need to focus on finding diagnostic tools that can help physicians to determine ongoing infection to ensure adequate treatment. It is also desirable to improve the standardisation of the diagnostic tools and to find methods that can discriminate between different Borrelia species. Borrelios är den vanligaste fästingöverförda sjukdomen på norra halvklotet och orsakas av bakterier inom Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato gruppen. Överföringen av bakterier till människa i Europa sker via Ixodes ricinus fästingar, vilka även överför bakterien Borrelia miyamotoi som ger återfallsfeber. Borreliainfektioner uppvisar kliniska uttryck i huden, i det centrala nervsystemet och i leder. En borrelia-diagnos baseras främst på patientens medicinska historia i kombination med kliniska tecken, egenbeskrivna symptom samt påvisning av Borrelia-specifika antikroppar (serologiska metoder). Vid vissa frågeställningar kan påvisning av Borrelia-bakteriens arvsmassa (molekylärbiologiska metoder) användas som komplement till antikroppstester. Alla diagnostiserade borreliainfektioner behandlas med antibiotika för att förhindra utveckling av sjukdomen och merparten av patienterna blir fullt återställda. Det övergripande syftet med avhandlingen var att utvärdera metoder för påvisning av Borrelia-specifika antikroppar samt Borrelia-specifik arvsmassa, men fokus på neuroborrelios, samt identifiera potentiella förbättringar. De metoder som används för påvisning av immunoglobulin (IgG)-antikroppar (uppträder sent i en infektion) i serum i norra Europa uppvisar hög känslighet (88 %) med jämförbara resultat både mellan och inom en analysmetod. Vid påvisning av IgM-antikroppar (uppträder tidigt i en infektion) i serum uppvisas lägre känslighet (59 %) och mer olikartade resultat. Små variationer i den diagnostiska förmågan att påvisa IgM och IgG-antikroppar beror till stor del på att flera prover erhållit gränsvärden d v s ett värde som inte kan anses som positivt men inte heller som negativt. Resultaten från denna studie indikerar att påvisning av IgM-antikroppar i serum har lågt värde vid diagnostik av Borrelia. Dock bör parallell analys av både IgM och IgG-antikroppar i serum och ryggmärgsvätska utföras vid påvisning av neuroborrelios. I dagsläget (till vår kännedom) har ingen systematisk utvärdering och optimering av det preanalytiska tillvägagångssättet vid påvisning av Borrelia-specifik arvsmassa i ryggmärgsvätska genomförts. Genom att använda pelleten (bottensatsen som erhålls genom måttlig centrifugering), framrening av total nukleinsyra i kombination med frånvaro av material som kan påverka PCR-reaktionen på ett negativt sätt (inhibitorer), kan påvisning av Borreliaarterna Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto och B. miyamotoi ske. Dessa Borrelia-arter är alla patogena för människa. De realtids-PCR protokoll som i dagsläget används i Skandinavien har hög analytisk känslighet, tillförlitlighet och överensstämmelse. Detta tyder på att den låga känslighet som uppvisas vid påvisning av Borrelia-specifik arvsmassa i ryggmärgsvätska inte beror på dåligt utvärderade och designade PCR-protokoll, utan är troligtvis orsakad av låg bakteriemängd i proverna. För vidare utvärdering av den diagnostiska förmågan att påvisa Borrelia-specifik arvsmassa i ryggmärgsvätska med PCR, bör kliniska prover samlas in och analyseras utifrån de nya rekommendationerna för pre-analytiskt tillvägagångssätt vid analys av ryggmärgsprover. Sammanfattningsvis visar resultaten i denna avhandling på generellt hög känslighet och tillförlitlighet samt överensstämmelse mellan olika protokoll/test vid påvisningar av Borreliaspecifika antikroppar och Borrelia-specifik arvsmassa. I avhandlingen presenteras även rekommendationer för pre-analytiskt tillvägagångssätt vid omhändertagande och transport av ryggmärgsvätska till laboratoriet. Resultaten visar även på nyttan i att analysera ryggmärgsvätska och serum parallellt för både IgM och IgG-antikroppar för att erhålla rätt diagnos vid frågeställningen neuroborrelios. Ovan nämnda metoder har trots god prestanda svårt att i alla lägen särskilja en aktiv infektion från en tidigare genomgången, varpå vidare studier krävs. Framtida studier bör fokusera på att finna diagnostiska verktyg som hjälper läkarna att urskilja en pågående infektion så att patienten erhåller passande behandling. Det är också mycket viktigt att arbeta vidare mot en standardisering av de diagnostiska metoderna samt finna metoder som har möjlighet att särskilja mellan olika Borrelia-arter.

Book Critical Needs and Gaps in Understanding Prevention  Amelioration  and Resolution of Lyme and Other Tick Borne Diseases

Download or read book Critical Needs and Gaps in Understanding Prevention Amelioration and Resolution of Lyme and Other Tick Borne Diseases written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-07-01 with total page 560 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A single tick bite can have debilitating consequences. Lyme disease is the most common disease carried by ticks in the United States, and the number of those afflicted is growing steadily. If left untreated, the diseases carried by ticks-known as tick-borne diseases-can cause severe pain, fatigue, neurological problems, and other serious health problems. The Institute of Medicine held a workshop October 11-12, 2010, to examine the state of the science in Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

Book Diagnostic Bacteriology

    Book Details:
  • Author : Kimberly A. Bishop-Lilly
  • Publisher : Humana Press
  • Release : 2017-06-10
  • ISBN : 9781493970353
  • Pages : 264 pages

Download or read book Diagnostic Bacteriology written by Kimberly A. Bishop-Lilly and published by Humana Press. This book was released on 2017-06-10 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume provides a comprehensive collection of protocols on molecular diagnostics of bacteria that will suit the needs of molecular biologists, clinical laboratorians, and physician scientists alike. Chapters detail common bacterial pathogens, protocols that can be applied to diverse or even unknown pathogens, digital PCR, next generation sequencing, and bioinformatic analyses. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Diagnostic Bacteriology: Methods and Protocols delivers a wide range of assay types all on the cutting edge of diagnostic bacteriology.

Book Molecular Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases

Download or read book Molecular Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases written by Harald H. Kessler and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2014-07-28 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The prevalence of infectious diseases is worldwide increasing. Therefore, detection methods for infectious pathogens change quickly. In the 3rd edition of Kessler ́s Molecular Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases laboratory professionalists get valueable information about the current diagnostic methods, tipps and tricks in terms of sample processing, quality control, and interpretation of the results. For clinicians the book is a valuable aid for decision-making in ordering appropriate tests as well as in assuring the necessary quality of the sample material.

Book Global Health Impacts of Vector Borne Diseases

Download or read book Global Health Impacts of Vector Borne Diseases written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-10-21 with total page 397 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pathogens transmitted among humans, animals, or plants by insects and arthropod vectors have been responsible for significant morbidity and mortality throughout recorded history. Such vector-borne diseases â€" including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and plague â€" together accounted for more human disease and death in the 17th through early 20th centuries than all other causes combined. Over the past three decades, previously controlled vector-borne diseases have resurged or reemerged in new geographic locations, and several newly identified pathogens and vectors have triggered disease outbreaks in plants and animals, including humans. Domestic and international capabilities to detect, identify, and effectively respond to vector-borne diseases are limited. Few vaccines have been developed against vector-borne pathogens. At the same time, drug resistance has developed in vector-borne pathogens while their vectors are increasingly resistant to insecticide controls. Furthermore, the ranks of scientists trained to conduct research in key fields including medical entomology, vector ecology, and tropical medicine have dwindled, threatening prospects for addressing vector-borne diseases now and in the future. In June 2007, as these circumstances became alarmingly apparent, the Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a workshop to explore the dynamic relationships among host, pathogen(s), vector(s), and ecosystems that characterize vector-borne diseases. Revisiting this topic in September 2014, the Forum organized a workshop to examine trends and patterns in the incidence and prevalence of vector-borne diseases in an increasingly interconnected and ecologically disturbed world, as well as recent developments to meet these dynamic threats. Participants examined the emergence and global movement of vector-borne diseases, research priorities for understanding their biology and ecology, and global preparedness for and progress toward their prevention, control, and mitigation. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Book Clinical Case Studies for the Family Nurse Practitioner

Download or read book Clinical Case Studies for the Family Nurse Practitioner written by Leslie Neal-Boylan and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-11-28 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Clinical Case Studies for the Family Nurse Practitioner is a key resource for advanced practice nurses and graduate students seeking to test their skills in assessing, diagnosing, and managing cases in family and primary care. Composed of more than 70 cases ranging from common to unique, the book compiles years of experience from experts in the field. It is organized chronologically, presenting cases from neonatal to geriatric care in a standard approach built on the SOAP format. This includes differential diagnosis and a series of critical thinking questions ideal for self-assessment or classroom use.

Book Rickettsial Diseases

    Book Details:
  • Author : Didier Raoult
  • Publisher : CRC Press
  • Release : 2007-04-26
  • ISBN : 142001997X
  • Pages : 400 pages

Download or read book Rickettsial Diseases written by Didier Raoult and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2007-04-26 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The only available reference to comprehensively discuss the common and unusual types of rickettsiosis in over twenty years, this book will offer the reader a full review on the bacteriology, transmission, and pathophysiology of these conditions. Written from experts in the field from Europe, USA, Africa, and Asia, specialists analyze specific patho

Book Lyme Borreliosis

Download or read book Lyme Borreliosis written by J. Gray and published by CABI. This book was released on 2002-10-04 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lyme borreliosis commonly known as lyme disease is now acknowledged as the most highly prevalent arthropod-borne human disease in northern temperate regions of the world. This book describes the basic characteristics of the disease, the biology of the pathogens in their vectors and vertebrate hosts, their ecology in different regions of the world and the global epidemiology of the disease. The final chapters address the prevention and control measures that have resulted from this knowledge.

Book Conquering Lyme Disease

    Book Details:
  • Author : Brian A. Fallon
  • Publisher : Columbia University Press
  • Release : 2017-12-12
  • ISBN : 0231545185
  • Pages : 608 pages

Download or read book Conquering Lyme Disease written by Brian A. Fallon and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2017-12-12 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, with more than 300,000 cases diagnosed each year. However, doctors are deeply divided on how to diagnose and treat it, giving rise to the controversy known as the “Lyme Wars.” Firmly entrenched camps have emerged, causing physicians, patient communities, and insurance providers to be pitted against one another in a struggle to define Lyme disease and its clinical challenges. Health care providers may not be aware of its diverse manifestations or the limitations of diagnostic tests. Meanwhile, patients have felt dismissed by their doctors and confused by the conflicting opinions and dubious self-help information found online. In this authoritative book, the Columbia University Medical Center physicians Brian A. Fallon and Jennifer Sotsky explain that, despite the vexing “Lyme Wars,” there is cause for both doctors and patients to be optimistic. The past decade’s advances in precision medicine and biotechnology are reshaping our understanding of Lyme disease and accelerating the discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat it, such that the great divide previously separating medical communities is now being bridged. Drawing on both extensive clinical experience and cutting-edge research, Fallon, Sotsky, and their colleagues present these paradigm-shifting breakthroughs in language accessible to both sides. They clearly explain the immunologic, infectious, and neurologic basis of chronic symptoms, the cognitive and psychological impact of the disease, as well as current and emerging diagnostic tests, treatments, and prevention strategies. Written for the educated patient and health care provider seeking to learn more, Conquering Lyme Disease gives an up-to-the-minute overview of the science that is transforming the way we address this complex illness. It argues forcefully that the expanding plague of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases can be confronted successfully and may soon even be reversed.

Book Anthrax in Humans and Animals

Download or read book Anthrax in Humans and Animals written by World Health Organization and published by World Health Organization. This book was released on 2008 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This fourth edition of the anthrax guidelines encompasses a systematic review of the extensive new scientific literature and relevant publications up to end 2007 including all the new information that emerged in the 3-4 years after the anthrax letter events. This updated edition provides information on the disease and its importance, its etiology and ecology, and offers guidance on the detection, diagnostic, epidemiology, disinfection and decontamination, treatment and prophylaxis procedures, as well as control and surveillance processes for anthrax in humans and animals. With two rounds of a rigorous peer-review process, it is a relevant source of information for the management of anthrax in humans and animals.

Book Molecular Detection of Human Bacterial Pathogens

Download or read book Molecular Detection of Human Bacterial Pathogens written by Dongyou Liu and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2011-04-18 with total page 1258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As more original molecular protocols and subsequent modifications are described in the literature, it has become difficult for those not directly involved in the development of these protocols to know which are most appropriate to adopt for accurate identification of bacterial pathogens. Molecular Detection of Human Bacterial Pathogens addresses th

Book Blood and Tissue Parasites

    Book Details:
  • Author : James W. Smith
  • Publisher : Amer Society of Clinical
  • Release : 1985
  • ISBN : 9780891890652
  • Pages : 58 pages

Download or read book Blood and Tissue Parasites written by James W. Smith and published by Amer Society of Clinical. This book was released on 1985 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines parasites that cause malaria, babesiosis, trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis, pneumocytosis and filariasis.

Book Infectious Disease Surveillance

Download or read book Infectious Disease Surveillance written by Nkuchia M. M'ikanatha and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-03-11 with total page 1139 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This fully updated edition of Infectious Disease Surveillance is for frontline public health practitioners, epidemiologists, and clinical microbiologists who are engaged in communicable disease control. It is also a foundational text for trainees in public health, applied epidemiology, postgraduate medicine and nursing programs. The second edition portrays both the conceptual framework and practical aspects of infectious disease surveillance. It is a comprehensive resource designed to improve the tracking of infectious diseases and to serve as a starting point in the development of new surveillance systems. Infectious Disease Surveillance includes over 45 chapters from over 100 contributors, and topics organized into six sections based on major themes. Section One highlights the critical role surveillance plays in public health and it provides an overview of the current International Health Regulations (2005) in addition to successes and challenges in infectious disease eradication. Section Two describes surveillance systems based on logical program areas such as foodborne illnesses, vector-borne diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, viral hepatitis healthcare and transplantation associated infections. Attention is devoted to programs for monitoring unexplained deaths, agents of bioterrorism, mass gatherings, and disease associated with international travel. Sections Three and Four explore the uses of the Internet and wireless technologies to advance infectious disease surveillance in various settings with emphasis on best practices based on deployed systems. They also address molecular laboratory methods, and statistical and geospatial analysis, and evaluation of systems for early epidemic detection. Sections Five and Six discuss legal and ethical considerations, communication strategies and applied epidemiology-training programs. The rest of the chapters offer public-private partnerships, as well lessons from the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic and future directions for infectious disease surveillance.

Book Commercial Biosensors and Their Applications

Download or read book Commercial Biosensors and Their Applications written by Mustafa Kemal Sezgintürk and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2020-06-12 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Commercial Biosensors and Their Applications: Clinical, Food, and Beyond offers professionals an in-depth look at some of the most significant applications of commercially available biosensor-based instrumentation in the clinical, food quality control, bioprocess monitoring, and bio threat fields. Featuring contributions by an international team of scientists, this book provides readers with an unparalleled opportunity to see how their colleagues around the world are using these powerful tools. This book is an indispensable addition to the reference libraries of biosensor technologists, analytical chemists, clinical chemists, biochemists, physicians, medical doctors, engineers, and clinical biochemists. The book discusses the need for portable, rapid, and smart biosensing devices and their use as cost-effective, in situ, real-time analytical tools in a variety of fields. Devotes several chapters to applications of biosensors to clinical samples, exploring how biosensors are currently used for in-home diabetes monitoring, point-of-care diagnostics, non-invasive sensing, and biomedical research Includes a section on food applications covering how biosensors can detect genetically modified organisms, toxins, allergens, hormones, microorganisms, species-specificity, pesticides, insecticides, and related components Discusses nanobiosensor and applications, including a chapter on nanotechnological approaches and materials in commercial biosensors

Book Medical and Veterinary Entomology

Download or read book Medical and Veterinary Entomology written by Gary R. Mullen and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2009-04-22 with total page 646 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Second Edition, has been fully updated and revised to provide the latest information on developments in entomology relating to public health and veterinary importance. Each chapter is structured with the student in mind, organized by the major headings of Taxonomy, Morphology, Life History, Behavior and Ecology, Public Health and Veterinary Importance, and Prevention and Control. This second edition includes separate chapters devoted to each of the taxonomic groups of insects and arachnids of medical or veterinary concern, including spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks. Internationally recognized editors Mullen and Durden include extensive coverage of both medical and veterinary entomological importance. This book is designed for teaching and research faculty in medical and veterinary schools that provide a course in vector borne diseases and medical entomology; parasitologists, entomologists, and government scientists responsible for oversight and monitoring of insect vector borne diseases; and medical and veterinary school libraries and libraries at institutions with strong programs in entomology. Follows in the tradition of Herm's Medical and Veterinary Entomology The latest information on developments in entomology relating to public health and veterinary importance Two separate indexes for enhanced searchability: Taxonomic and Subject New to this edition: Three new chapters Morphological Adaptations of Parasitic Arthropods Forensic Entomology Molecular Tools in Medical and Veterinary Entomology 1700 word glossary Appendix of Arthropod-Related Viruses of Medical-Veterinary Importance Numerous new full-color images, illustrations and maps throughout

Book Enzyme Immunoassay

    Book Details:
  • Author : Eiji Ishikawa
  • Publisher : Igaku-Shoin Medical Publishers
  • Release : 1981
  • ISBN :
  • Pages : 298 pages

Download or read book Enzyme Immunoassay written by Eiji Ishikawa and published by Igaku-Shoin Medical Publishers. This book was released on 1981 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Book Immunology and Serology in Laboratory Medicine

Download or read book Immunology and Serology in Laboratory Medicine written by Mary Louise Turgeon and published by . This book was released on 2017-05-03 with total page 589 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you're looking to succeed in today's modern laboratory environment, then you need the insightful guidance found in Immunology & Serology in Laboratory Medicine, 6th Edition. Continuing to set the standard for comprehensive coverage of immunology, this must-have resource covers everything from mastering automated techniques to understanding immunoassay instrumentation and disorders of infectious and immunologic origin. As with previous editions, trusted author, teacher and former university program director, Mary Louise Turgeon helps you build a solid foundation of knowledge and skills by taking you from basic immunologic mechanisms and serologic concepts to the theory behind the procedures you will encounter in the lab. And now with a new full-color design, additional case studies, wealth of content updates, and new features, there's never been more reason to rely on Turgeon to stretch your critical thinking skills and fully prepare for success in the clinical lab. Comprehensive immunology coverage features the latest illustrations, photographs and summary tables to help clarify various concepts and information visually. Emphasis on critical thinking utilizes case studies to challenge readers to apply their knowledge to practice. Procedural protocols move readers from immunology theory to practical aspects of the clinical lab. Chapter highlights and review questions at the end of each chapter offer opportunities for review and self-assessment. Learning objectives and key terms at the beginning of each chapter outline the important vocabulary, information, and concepts found in the chapter. Glossary at the end of the book provides a quick reference to key terms and definitions. NEW! Full color diagrams and micrographs increases comprehension and gives readers a much better sense of what they will encounter in the lab. NEW! Updated content on vaccines, tumor immunology, transplant rejection, immunotherapies, instrumentation for molecular diagnosis, the immune response, and more ensures readers are prepared for immunology in today's clinical lab. NEW! Additional case studies allow readers to apply knowledge to real world situations and stretch their critical thinking skills. NEW! Reformatted chapter review questions reflect the multiple choice styles encountered on exams.