Bioterrorism Guidebook to the Seven Deadliest Diseases

AORN Journal,  June, 2007  by Nancy Bedison

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Bioterrorism Guidebook to the Seven Deadliest Diseases Daniel Farb and Bruce Gordon 2005, 231 pages $49.95 hardcover, $299.99 CD-ROM

My overall impression of this book is positive. I found it to be an excellent resource for a diverse group of people including health care workers, public officers, and the general public. The information is current and appropriate for use by hospitals not only in the development of disaster plans, but also in the development of infection control and employee health policies necessary for compliance with Joint Commission standards and individual state requirements.

The book is well-organized and easy for a broad audience to understand. It includes a review of the seven deadliest diseases: anthrax, botulism, hemorrhagic fever viruses, plague, radiation, smallpox, and tularemia. The authors discuss transmission, prevention, diagnosis, clinical data, therapy, and bioterrorism threat information related to each of the seven organisms. The chapter pertaining to botulism is particularly interesting, providing information such as the fact that I g of the botulism toxin potentially could kill one million people.

Each chapter is preceded by a helpful glossary that includes clear definitions of words used throughout the chapter. The book includes numerous references, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, and CDC questions and answers appropriate for each topic throughout the text. The case study questions and answers at the end of each chapter provide the reader with the opportunity to apply newly gained knowledge. In addition, tests are included that are applicable to each organism discussed, and these tests may be completed and submitted for continuing education contact hours.

The interactive CD-ROM version also is very useful, enabling users to retain the material more thoroughly. The CD-ROM includes tests that allow users to document completion of the program. Such documentation may be useful for employee competency assessments.

There is a large amount of information in this book, however, which may cause the reader to feel somewhat overwhelmed. It would have been beneficial if charts comparing the various diseases and summarizing the diseases were included. In addition, some of the black-and-white photographs are difficult to interpret.

Overall, this book is an excellent reference for both health care workers and the general public; I would recommend it to professional colleagues, nursing students, and public officers. The nursing continuing education contact hours are an excellent bonus as well.

This book is available from UniversityOfHealthCare, 419 N Larchmond Blvd, Suite 323, Los Angeles, CA 90004.

NANCY BEDISON

RN, BSN, MS, CNOR

DIRECTOR OF NURSING

ALIQUIPPA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

ALIQUIPPA, PA

COPYRIGHT 2007 Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning