Abstract
Shakespeare, M. 2009, hard cover, 305 pages.
Pharmaceutical Press, Gurnee, IL., ISBN 978-0-85369-753-4, $69.99.
Chapters are as follows: Introduction to zoonoses Zoonoses of companion animals Zoonoses of agricultural animals Food-borne zoonoses Prion diseases Pandora's box Viral zoonotic diseases Zoonoses of exotic, feral and wild animals Implications for healthcare
The first chapter is an introduction to zoonotic diseases, which is very effective in covering the impact of zoonoses on human health. The chapter includes the definition and importance of zoonoses, descriptions of causative pathogens and types of transmission. The second, third, and fourth chapters have detailed descriptions of different zoonotic diseases. They are categorized by the food source the disease is most commonly associated with or the animal vector of the disease. Each of the disease discussions includes a basic introduction to the disease, how the disease presents in animals, disease transmission and presentation in humans, and treatment and prevention strategies. While the author does a good job of covering a large number of diseases, specific diseases are only discussed in a general sense, with a good list of references at the end of each chapter that the reader can use to access more information if needed. The fifth chapter describing prion diseases is extremely interesting to read and gives a thorough description of the history, treatment, transmission and prevention of prion disease. The sixth chapter titled, Pandora's Box describes more uncommon zoonoses that are associated with higher mortality rates in people including anthrax, Ebola, plaque, and rabies. The seventh chapter describes viral zoonotic diseases that are not endemic to the U.K. or the U.S. This is organized by viral family, but unfortunately does not cover all medically important zoonoses. The eighth chapter describes diseases in wild and feral animals and is organized by the animal host and then gives a detailed description of each disease. Chapter 9 reviews the healthcare implications associated with zoonotic diseases with a discussion about prevention strategies and relevant U.K. and U.S. legislation. The book also includes two appendixes; the first is an extensive list of web addresses for useful resources and the second appendix includes mailing addresses and telephone numbers for U.K. and U.S. agencies associated with zoonotic diseases.
Overall, Zoonoses is a good desk reference for everyday use in the healthcare setting or as a basic information source on a wide range of zoonotic diseases.