On Pandemics: Deadly Diseases from Bubonic Plague to Coronavirus

(Paperback, New edition)

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A timely primer on pandemics that come to us via the animal kingdom

Updated throughout (from the original version The Chickens Fight Back with a new introduction and expanded chapter on the COVID-19 pandemic; an extended discussion of how we approach zoonoses, epidemics, and pandemics in light of COVID-19; and current information on each disease covered in the book."

Reviews

[This book] asks us to examine the societal set-up that makes these diseases possible, including such inequities as overcrowded cities, poverty, slums, and a lack of clean water. A quiet little gem of understanding in a cacophony of panic and fear. Quill & Quire Waltner-Toews is quite clear about the message, and about the sort of science that will be required, not merely for coexisting with zoonoses but also for sustainable living in general. [His] narrative about ourselves in our natural context (not always benign!) indicates the way to a solution. Science Direct Exactly the kind of book medical and nursing students should be reading. We need more like David Waltner-Toews: informed folks who not only care deeply about animals but can explain why humans have turned our dysfunctional yet collective fate into comedy or tragedy. The Globe and Mail (Toronto) The combination of entertaining and educationally sound is rare and precious, and is deployed here to excellent effect to describe and explain problems ranging from avian flu and SADS through mad cow disease to plague and Chagas disease. John M Last, MD, Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology, University of Ottawa This comprehensive account carefully documents the science of the diverse disease agents and the myriad of biologic, geographic, behavioral, and cultural factors that influence the occurrence and spread of the diseases that they cause. Peter M. Schantz, VMD, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Protection

Author Bio

David Waltner-Toews is a renowned Canadian epidemiologist, veterinarian, and highly-respected specialist in the epidemiology of food and waterborne diseases, zoonoses, ecosystem health, and One Health, whose work has been instrumental in the development of teaching and training programs across North America, Europe, and Asia. A multi-award-winning writer, he is the author of more than 20 books including textbooks, nonfiction books about science and health, murder mysteries, and poetry and short story collections. He lives in Kitchener, Ontario.