Larone’s Medically Important Fungi: A Guide to Identification, 7th Edition

Summary

This is a practical guidebook for identifying disease-causing fungi in medical laboratories. The 7th edition uses color-coding and organized illustrations to help laboratory technicians and doctors quickly identify fungi from patient samples. It includes information about emerging fungal pathogens and is designed to be used as a quick reference at the laboratory bench rather than a comprehensive textbook.

Background

Larone’s Medically Important Fungi is a comprehensive guide designed for medical mycology technicians and laboratory professionals. The book serves as a field guide to fungal identification in clinical settings, providing practical information for rapid preliminary diagnosis based on colony and microscopic morphology.

Objective

The guide aims to help provide rapid preliminary diagnosis of medically important fungi within the microbiology laboratory based on cultured organism morphology and direct stains. It is designed to be a practical reference tool for identifying fungi in clinical specimens rather than serving as an exhaustive epidemiological or therapeutic reference.

Results

The 7th edition successfully integrates information on emerging pathogens such as Emergomyces and Emmonsia species. The guide includes comprehensive sections on direct identification from clinical specimens, identification from cultured isolates, molecular methods, and laboratory techniques, complemented by explanatory figures, summary tables, and a full-color image appendix.

Conclusion

Larone’s guide successfully combines conciseness with completeness, making it an essential reference at the bench and microscope for mycologists at all expertise levels. The book’s effective formula has established it as a revered medical reference that provides actionable diagnostic information for clinical laboratory practice.
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