Ebook: Modern Infectious Disease Epidemiology: Concepts, Methods, Mathematical Models, and Public Health

Hardly a day goes by without news headlines concerning infectious disease threats. Currently the spectre of a pandemic of influenza A|H₁N₁ is raising its head, and heated debates are taking place about the pro’s and con’s of vaccinating young girls against human papilloma virus. For an evidence-based and responsible communication of infectious disease topics to avoid misunderstandings and overreaction of the public, we need solid scientific knowledge and an understanding of all aspects of infectious diseases and their control.

The aim of our book is to present the reader with the general picture and the main ideas of the subject. The book introduces the reader to methodological aspects of epidemiology that are specific for infectious diseases and provides insight into the epidemiology of some classes of infectious diseases characterized by their main modes of transmission. This choice of topics bridges the gap between scientific research on the clinical, biological, mathematical, social and economic aspects of infectious diseases and their applications in public health.

The book will help the reader to understand the impact of infectious diseases on modern society and the instruments that policy makers have at their disposal to deal with these challenges. It is written for students of the health sciences, both of curative medicine and public health, and for experts that are active in these and related domains, and it may be of interest for the educated layman since the technical level is kept relatively low.

The authors are internationally renowned experts in the field of infectious disease epidemiology. The editors come from different scientific backgrounds but have been devoted to research in infectious disease epidemiology for many years. Alexander Krämer is an internist and epidemiologist who co-founded the first School of Public Health in the German-speaking region of Europe at the University of Bielefeld. Mirjam Kretzschmar is a mathematician and epidemiologist with many contributions to mathematical modelling of infectious diseases and its applications for public health. Klaus Krickeberg is a mathematician with background in health information systems in developing countries.

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Hardly a day goes by without news headlines concerning infectious disease threats. Currently the spectre of a pandemic of influenza A|H₁N₁ is raising its head, and heated debates are taking place about the pro’s and con’s of vaccinating young girls against human papilloma virus. For an evidence-based and responsible communication of infectious disease topics to avoid misunderstandings and overreaction of the public, we need solid scientific knowledge and an understanding of all aspects of infectious diseases and their control.

The aim of our book is to present the reader with the general picture and the main ideas of the subject. The book introduces the reader to methodological aspects of epidemiology that are specific for infectious diseases and provides insight into the epidemiology of some classes of infectious diseases characterized by their main modes of transmission. This choice of topics bridges the gap between scientific research on the clinical, biological, mathematical, social and economic aspects of infectious diseases and their applications in public health.

The book will help the reader to understand the impact of infectious diseases on modern society and the instruments that policy makers have at their disposal to deal with these challenges. It is written for students of the health sciences, both of curative medicine and public health, and for experts that are active in these and related domains, and it may be of interest for the educated layman since the technical level is kept relatively low.

The authors are internationally renowned experts in the field of infectious disease epidemiology. The editors come from different scientific backgrounds but have been devoted to research in infectious disease epidemiology for many years. Alexander Kramer is an internist and epidemiologist who co-founded the first School of Public Health in the German-speaking region of Europe at the University of Bielefeld. Mirjam Kretzschmar is a mathematician and epidemiologist with many contributions to mathematical modelling of infectious diseases and its applications for public health. Klaus Krickeberg is a mathematician with background in health information systems in developing countries.

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Hardly a day goes by without news headlines concerning infectious disease threats. Currently the spectre of a pandemic of influenza A|H₁N₁ is raising its head, and heated debates are taking place about the pro’s and con’s of vaccinating young girls against human papilloma virus. For an evidence-based and responsible communication of infectious disease topics to avoid misunderstandings and overreaction of the public, we need solid scientific knowledge and an understanding of all aspects of infectious diseases and their control.

The aim of our book is to present the reader with the general picture and the main ideas of the subject. The book introduces the reader to methodological aspects of epidemiology that are specific for infectious diseases and provides insight into the epidemiology of some classes of infectious diseases characterized by their main modes of transmission. This choice of topics bridges the gap between scientific research on the clinical, biological, mathematical, social and economic aspects of infectious diseases and their applications in public health.

The book will help the reader to understand the impact of infectious diseases on modern society and the instruments that policy makers have at their disposal to deal with these challenges. It is written for students of the health sciences, both of curative medicine and public health, and for experts that are active in these and related domains, and it may be of interest for the educated layman since the technical level is kept relatively low.

The authors are internationally renowned experts in the field of infectious disease epidemiology. The editors come from different scientific backgrounds but have been devoted to research in infectious disease epidemiology for many years. Alexander Kramer is an internist and epidemiologist who co-founded the first School of Public Health in the German-speaking region of Europe at the University of Bielefeld. Mirjam Kretzschmar is a mathematician and epidemiologist with many contributions to mathematical modelling of infectious diseases and its applications for public health. Klaus Krickeberg is a mathematician with background in health information systems in developing countries.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The Global Burden of Infectious Diseases....Pages 3-21
Global Challenges of Infectious Disease Epidemiology....Pages 23-38
Infectious Disease Control Policies and the Role of Governmental and Intergovernmental Organisations....Pages 39-67
Front Matter....Pages 69-82
Principles of Infectious Disease Epidemiology....Pages 83-83
Social Risk Factors....Pages 85-99
Molecular Typing and Clustering Analysis as a Tool for Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases....Pages 101-115
Epidemiologic Surveillance....Pages 117-141
Outbreak Investigations....Pages 143-157
Geographic Information Systems....Pages 159-176
Methods and Concepts of Epidemiology....Pages 177-191
Mathematical Models in Infectious Disease Epidemiology....Pages 193-208
Immunity to Infectious Diseases....Pages 209-221
Principles and Practice of Vaccinology....Pages 223-234
Health Economics of Infectious Diseases....Pages 235-248
Front Matter....Pages 249-275
Airborne Transmission: Influenza and Tuberculosis....Pages 277-277
Infectious Childhood Diarrhea in Developing Countries....Pages 279-290
Bloodborne and Sexual Transmission: HIV/AIDS....Pages 291-308
Blood Borne and Sexual Transmission: Hepatitis B and C....Pages 309-331
Front Matter....Pages 333-356
Vector-Borne Transmission: Malaria, Dengue, and Yellow Fever....Pages 357-380
Nosocomial Transmission: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)....Pages 277-277
Infectious Diseases and Cancer: HPV....Pages 381-393
Back Matter....Pages 395-407
....Pages 409-429