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PREFACE

     Infectious diseases account for about 17 million of the 52 million deaths per year in the world (WHO, 1996).  From the average yearly total of 11 million deaths among children under age 5 in developing countries, about 9 million are attributed to infectious diseases.  Most of these deaths, if not all, can be prevented through immunization programs and health education about the modes of transmission, and methods of prevention and control.  This textbook, “Principles of Infectious Disease Epidemiology: An introduction and discussion of selected communicable diseases,” is intended to provide health students and professionals, especially health educators and epidemiologists, the necessary information to be able to educate people about the transmission and control of infectious diseases.

     As a textbook, it is intended for at least 300-level college courses.  It is also appropriate for graduate schools of Public Health, Schools of Nursing, Departments of Community Health, Health Sciences Centers , and Schools of Medicine.  Students would find the book very useful for quick revision.  This revised edition is also reorganized and rewritten for reading by non-health students and non-health professionals who want to educate themselves about communicable diseases.  This revised edition has many educational features including a discussion of 132 communicable diseases.

     With regards to features, this book has an international flare with up-to-date report by the World health Organization about infectious diseases.  It has a foreword by Dr. Dan R. Denson, a respected health education professional, Dr. Mohammad Torabi, and the Director-General of the World Health Organization bearing a message to the world.  In the appendix are internet addresses related to communicable diseases and health education, international health resources, and World Health Technical Report Series 690, related to new approaches to health education and primary health care.  Also new to this revised edition is the subject index.

     Furthermore, this edition is arranged into 9 sections with 25 related chapters.  Section One covers basic principles of epidemiology; Section Two covers vital statistics and rates and ratios use in epidemiology; Section Three covers principles and practices of immunization; Section Four covers viruses and viral infections; Section Five covers bacteria and bacterial infections; Section Six covers infectious diseases caused by fungi, protozoa, and metazoa; Section Seven covers major sexually transmissible diseases; Section Eight covers Global distribution of infectious diseases and the World Health Organization report, 2000; and Section Nine covers the Multicultural Model for Community Health Educators.

     At the end of each chapter, there are questions for review and discussion which could also be used as essay examination questions.  Also, each disease discussed has its assigned international classification of diseases (ICD)-Clinical modification number (ICD-9 000; ICD 10 B 00).  Chapter 24 carries the World Health report on antimicrobial resistance update and the status of infectious diseases in the World.  Chapter 25 discusses the NEW! Multicultural Model (MCM) for Community Health Educators, which is intended to provide health professionals and epidemiologists the tools to plan and implement effective health educational programs.  Finally, each section of the book has a sectional bibliography.

For comments and suggestions, or to order a copy, email the author at atakyen@hotmail.com