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One Health Book Reviewed Favorably in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) -USA

 

*This book review has been reprinted with the permission of the American Veterinary Medical Association.  It originally appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVA), 2010;236:1304-1305 [http://avmajournals.avma.org/loi/javma].  To quote from this review, please Reference the JAVMA citation.  To obtain permission to reproduce this review, please contact dfagen@avma.org.

 

This landmark One Health book was co-edited/written by a prominent physician and veterinarian, Drs. Peter M. Rabinowitz of Yale Medical School and Lisa A. Conti, DVM, MPH, director of the Florida Department of Health’s environmental health division, respectively.  It was a co-equal, collaborative production.

 

Rabinowitz and Conti assembled a representative group of outstanding scientific health leaders from the fields of medicine and veterinary medicine in this first of its kind endeavor.  The book demonstrates the critical need for co-equal interdisciplinary collaborative communications and research in the 21^st century considering the exponential emergence of zoonotic disease threats and risks worldwide, not to mention the many mutually concerning clinical health care problems of humans and animals, e.g. cancer, obesity, orthopedics, cardiovascular, metabolic and others.

 

Note: The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is one of the leading health organizations supporting the national and international One Health movement in conjunction with the American Medical Association (AMA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), American Public Health Association (APHA), and many others.

 

*Human-Animal Medicine: Clinical Approaches to Zoonoses, Toxicants and Other Shared Health Risks

Reviewed by Katie Portacci, DVM, MPH, DACVPM

Oftentimes, the wide breadth of literature available on zoonotic diseases can be difficult to obtain in a clinical setting, yet veterinarians are looked on as a primary source of information for zoonotic diseases. Human-Animal Medicine: Clinical Approaches to Zoonoses, Toxicants and Other Shared Health Risks serves as a consolidated resource for a number of zoonotic and other disease risks that may be shared between humans and other animals. The book highlights the role of veterinarians in the detection of diseases that may have an impact on human, wildlife, or pet health. It also serves as a reminder that veterinarians should be aware of the diseases that are reportable and how to report to local, state, or federal authorities.

Although not a quick reference source for specific disease treatments, this book provides small animal practitioners with key talking points to improve client communication regarding shared disease risks. The legal and ethical obligations veterinarians must consider when communicating with clients or other health professionals are clearly emphasized. Guidance is also provided on standard practices to minimize zoonotic disease risks to animal health workers.

Overall, this book provides an overview on a wide range of clinical topics frequently encountered by veterinary, human, and public health professionals. It is reasonably priced and could be a useful reference for veterinarians in small animal practice to improve communication regarding shared human and animal health risks or for veterinarians and veterinary students actively engaged in public health.—By Peter M. Rabinowitz & Lisa A. Conti. 412 pages; illustrated. Wiley-Blackwell, 2121 State Ave, Ames, IA 50014. ISBN 978-1-4160-6837-2. 2010. Price $99.95.