ERS | monograph Preface Robert Bals While most European chest physicians have little contact with TB patients, the disease is still of outstanding importance in our field, for a number of reasons. 1) TB was a major killer in Europe for hundreds of years, and phthisiology has helped develop many aspects of pulmonology. 2) TB is still a major cause of mortality and morbidity, and its prevalence in developing countries highlights the political dimensions of the disease. 3) TB is present in Europe and the clinical context of its presentation has changed in recent decades. Patients from a migratory background, those who are immunosuppressed and those with chronic lung diseases are now within the focus of care. 4) Diagnosis and treatment of TB is still a complicated issue. TB can mimic most other lung diseases and treatment has become a challenge in the age of multidrug resistancy. With these issues in mind, the United Nations General Assembly initiated concerted action and developed new guidelines. This ERS Monograph considers such guidelines, and provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of all aspects of TB. As such, it represents a unique source of information. The book covers the field’s historical development, epidemiology, basic science and the clinical approach to the TB patient. It also includes chapters on drug therapy and special patient populations, as well as comorbidities. The broad ranging and comprehensive topics covered in this book were selected by Guest Editors Giovanni Battista Migliori, Graham Bothamley, Raquel Duarte and Adrian Rendon. They worked to bring together expert authors in the field and in doing so, have successfully integrated different views on various aspects of TB. They have produced a Monograph that will not only be useful in the clinical practice of a broad range of respiratory physicians, but will be a trusted resource for many years to come. Copyright ©ERS 2018. Print ISBN: 978-1-84984-099-6. Online ISBN: 978-1-84984-100-9. Print ISSN: 2312-508X. Online ISSN: 2312-5098. https://doi.org/10.1183/2312508X.10032018 ix
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