Veterinary Epidemiology

This volume provides a comprehensive introduction to the role of epidemiology in veterinary medicine. The concepts and principles of epidemiology are explained, with illustrations drawn from both large- and small-animal medicine, and from the developing as well as the developed world. Veterinary epidemiology is the study of disease and other health-related events in animal populations. It seeks to identify the causes and effects of disease, and investigates the ways in which infection is transmitted and maintained. It is, therefore, fundamental to the prevention and control of disease in livestock and companion animals. The methodology and interpretation of surveys, observational studies and clinical trials are explored, with emphasis on modern quantitative methods. The book should be a useful reference source for veterinary general practitioners, government veterinarians, agricultural economists and members of other disciplines interested in animal disease. It should also be practical reading for undergraduate and intermediate-level postgraduate students of epidemiology.