zoonoses and communicable diseases common to ... - PAHO/WHO

INTRODUCTIONThis new edition of Zoonoses and Communicable Diseases Common to Man andAnimals is published in three volumes: I. Bacterioses and mycoses; II.Chlamydioses and rickettsioses, and viroses; and III. Parasitoses. Each of the fiveparts corresponds to the location of the etiologic agents in the biological classification;for practical purposes, chlamydias and rickettsias are grouped together.In each part, the diseases are listed in alphabetical order to facilitate readersearches. There is also an alphabetical index, which includes synonyms of the diseasesand the etiologic agents’ names.In this edition, the numbers and names of the diseases according to theInternational Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems,Tenth Revision (ICD-10), are listed below the disease title. However, some zoonosesare not included in ICD-10 and are difficult to classify within the current scheme.In addition, for each disease or infection, elements such as synonyms; etiology;geographical distribution; occurrence in man and animals; the disease in man andanimals; source of infection and mode of transmission; role of animals in the epidemiology;diagnosis; and control are addressed. Patient treatment (for man or otherspecies) is beyond the scope of this work; however, recommended medicines areindicated for many diseases, especially where they are applicable to prophylaxis.Special attention is paid to the epidemiological and ecological aspects so that thereader can begin to understand the determining factors of the infection or disease.Some topics include simple illustrations of the etiologic agent’s mode of transmission,showing the animals that maintain the cycle of infection in nature. Similarly,other graphics and tables are included to provide additional information on the geographicaldistribution or prevalence of certain zoonoses.The data on the occurrence of the infection in man and animals, along with dataon the geographical distribution, may help the reader judge the relative impact thateach disease has on public health and the livestock economy in the different regionsof the world, given that the importance of different zoonoses varies greatly. Forexample, foot-and-mouth disease is extremely important from an economic standpoint,but of little importance in terms of public health, if animal protein losses arenot considered. In contrast, Argentine and Bolivian hemorrhagic fevers are importanthuman diseases, but their economic impact is minimal, if treatment costs andloss of man-hours are not taken into account. Many other diseases, such as brucellosis,leptospirosis, salmonellosis, and equine encephalitis, are important from botha public health and an economic standpoint.Finally, each disease entry includes an alphabetical bibliography, which includesboth the works cited and other relevant works that the reader may consult for moreinformation about the disease.xv