Principles and Practice of Travel Medicine

Having reviewed the first edition in 2001, I welcome theopportunity to review this new one. The format is similar with thecontent delivered in six sections, but with more chapters in eachand information expanded to include new developments and advancesin the field. Expert contributors now number an impressive 80,lending a truly international perspective to the content. Travel tointernational sporting events and a favourite of mine - spacetourism - are welcome and timely additions.

Although travel abroad for healthcare is not new, the globaleconomic downturn has created a boom in so-called health tourism.The discussion on the reasons, benefits and pitfalls is wellcovered including the ethical perspective and dilemmaspractitioners may face- with case studies to give food forthought.

In the preface, the editor asks: "Where have we been,where are we now and where are we going?" - a good indicationof what we can expect to find in the book. The majority of peoplewho travel are 'well' and the art of practising travelmedicine lies mainly in keeping them that way.

However, it is becoming more complex for travel health advisersas increasingly those with pre-existing medical conditions aretravelling to destinations which may pose a risk to their conditionor where the lack of healthcare resources put them at risk if amedical problem arises and they need care. The management of thesehigh risk travellers is covered in Chapter 27 and includes bothgeneral and disease specific advice.

Good emphasis is given to the fact that there is no age limitfor travelling and no one size fits all scenarios. Individualsdeserve the best advice for their trip and the list of additionalresources for specific reference is most useful. Once again casehistories throughout the text helpto illuminate the subjects.

Chapter Six looks at the epidemiology and surveillance oftravel-related disease and emphasises the benefits of internationalcollaboration in detecting infectious diseases and sharing theinformation to alert and protect other travellers.

Malaria prevention and treatment information is welcome. Chapter11 ('The Interconnecting World') looks at transport,migrants, and emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, andalso considers the role of mobile populations and mass gatheringsin this. Numerous excellent tables relating to the importance oftravel health support the information.

I loved the quote at the beginning, credited to Harvey Cushing:"A physician is obligated toconsider more than a diseasedorgan, more even than the whole man - he must view the man inhis world." Never was a truer word spoken.

I recommend this textbook as a valuable resource for study andreference, and it will be a welcome addition to any librarysupporting education in travel medicine. ( Sandra Grieve FFTMRCPS(Glasg), Emporiatrics Autumn/Winter 2013)

"The case histories throughout help to highlight the subjects. This textbook will be a welcome addition to those involved in training and those advising travellers and a valuable resource for study and reference." ("Royal College of Nursing Travel Medicine Forum Newsletter," January 2002)"To put together such a valuable and useful reference as this is a monumental task, and the book deserves a place on the shelves of all travel clinics." ("Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene")..".This is a good book. It is comprehensive, covers the major problems fully, while providing at least a short entry on the less common and more exotic..." ("Tropical Doctor")..".easy to read and highly informative...will be invaluable and will replace my usual reference sources..." ("Family Practice," Vol.19, No.4, 2002) ..".overviews general principles for keeping people healthy while they travel..." ("SciTech Book News," Vol. 26, No. 2, June 2002)..".I would highly