Emerging Diseases and Their Impact

Emerging diseases like mad cow, SARS, and avian flu are — for the moment, at least — far more prevalent in animals than in humans. Still, the knowledge that measles, TB, and smallpox were at one time “emerging” diseases that eventually made a permanent, and quite deadly, jump to humans gives epidemiologists pause.

Understanding Animal Diseases

This book examines the various groups of animal diseases, explains what attracts them to the human population — from food to sex to living conditions — and offers suggestions for keeping them at bay.

Ecological and Cultural Perspectives

It also points out that diseases must be looked at from an ecological, cultural, and economic point of view as well as from a biological standpoint.

Preventative Measures and Rethinking Humanity

Cooking meat till its well done and slathering on insect repellent for a hike in the woods are effective preventative measures, but as the author notes, it’s more important to fundamentally rethink humankind’s place in the world.