If ever a veterinary title should be viewed as a “coffee table” book, this is the one. Just be sure that everyone in the house is a veterinary science major or likewise career-oriented individual. Due to the graphic nature of this 277 page collection of photos that address 29 transboundary diseases, it is not for the weak.
The book, published by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), has captured images both clinically and post mortem of 29 diseases of vast economic importance found throughout the world. With images provided by 46 contributors from around the world, this book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in how a disease presents itself in a variety of food animals; no other animals are covered in this text.
Along with the images, each profiled disease is addressed in a bulleted format under the following headings: Etiology, Epidemiology, Diagnosis (both differential and laboratory based) and Prevention/Control. The bulleted format lists all pertinent information with no additional text; therefore if one is looking for a “chapter and verse” style textbook, this is not the one. However, if one is looking for a richly illustrated book for quick, yet thorough, reference of disease that can be pulled out, on site, for comparison of suspected diseases of international consequence, this is the one.
It should be noted that the development of this book came about when the USDA-APHIS began to work towards an updated version of the Illustrated Manuals which had long been used in training of professionals taking the domestic Foreign Animal Disease Diagnosticians Course and Initial Course on Transboundary Animal Diseases. This lends even more credibility to the book’s offering, making it an attractive addition to the library of any animal health professional working with transboundary veterinary diseases. For the veterinary technician this would make a nice supplemental text, certainly not an essential text. I see it as a potential Christmas gift for the student pursuing a regulatory or animal inspection career with the USDA. For the veterinary technician educator; however, this book is a solid gold teaching aid and should be on their bookshelf. For these reasons, the book garners 4 out of 5 rating based on usefulness and necessity to veterinary technicians and veterinary technician and veterinary students.
Publisher: OIE, Paris, France (2010)
ISBN #: 978-92-9044-804-4
VIN Bookstore: Currently Unavailable