Clinical Handbook of Pediatric Infectious Disease PDF

Preface

Physicians are expected to maintain, at their command, an extensive fund of knowledge. It is, of course, not realistic to commit all important information to memory or even to retain what will be considered essential aspects of diagnosis and treatment. We all, therefore, rely on reference sources for optimal patient care. Our personal libraries not only assure against omissions in medical management but also allow the most efficient method for keeping abreast of new developments in each subspecialty.

A major addition to the literature over the last ten years has been the publication of numerous guidelines for managing both the specific infections and clinical situations that predispose to infectious diseases. These guidelines have been written by experts under the direction of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Red Book^®: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases), the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A major change to the third edition of this handbook is inclusion of all current guidelines that pertain to the management of infectious diseases in children. These guidelines, based on evidence-based medicine, are not meant to define standards of care; rather, they offer a framework from which physicians can make final decisions.

In the care of pediatric patients, infectious diseases make up over half of all diagnostic considerations. For this reason, the pediatrician or primary care physician must particularly prepare him or herself with a basic understanding of infectious processes. In many cases, knowledge of the disease must be applied in the clinical setting with minimal delay. These situations may be best handled if the physician has at hand a reliable, concise manual that condenses essential information related to diagnosis and treatment, and that is the primary intent of this handbook. In most cases, it simply offers a rapid check of already planned management. In other cases, it may give guidance in an area less familiar to the clinician.

Most of the information in this book is presented in tabular or protocol form, which is essential for providing a quick reference in the broad area of pediatric infectious diseases. Where there is some difference of opinion, particularly for modalities of treatment, I have often elected to present just one approach. However, every effort has been made to use published guidelines and consensus recommendations.

Changes from the second edition, published in 2000, include not only updates on all infectious diseases but the addition of a number of published guidelines. All new antimicrobial agents approved since the last edition are included, and all new recommendations for therapies of choice have been updated.