Human Diseases from Wildlife presents information on the most prevalent and serious zoonotic diseases in the US and Canada, some of which have been national headline news like anthrax, influenza, and West Nile virus. Diseases that are caused by pathogens with the ability to infect both humans and animals are known as zoonotic diseases, which literally means “disease from animals.”
The issue of human–wildlife disease interactions is a growing concern as humans continue to interface with wildlife. People who handle wildlife including field workers, wildlife professionals, trappers, and hunters want to know about potential diseases, risks, and how to protect themselves from disease.
This book was written because many people are uninformed about zoonotic diseases. This lack of information causes some people to have a heightened fear of zoonotic diseases, preventing them from enjoying wildlife or spending time outdoors. Other people needlessly expose themselves to disease by neglecting simple precautions.
This book includes information on bacterial, spirochetal, rickettsial, and viral diseases as well as macroparasites and emerging zoonotic diseases. More than two dozen diseases are covered including rabies, tularemia, baylisascariasis, salmonellosis, leprosy, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and swimmer’s itch.
Each chapter contains the history of the disease, symptoms in humans, medical treatment, transmission of pathogens to humans, the role of wildlife as vectors, and methods to minimize risk. The diseases people can contract from wild animals can be both threatening and fascinating, and the book includes interesting information to make it more enjoyable to read.
Table of Contents
Introduction
BACTERIAL DISEASES Plague
Brucellosis
Tuberculosis
Tularemia
Leprosy
Anthrax
Rat-Bite Fever
Salmonellosis Escherichia coli and Other Foodborne Diseases
Psittacosis and Other Zoonotic Diseases Caused by Chlamydia Species
SPIROCHETAL DISEASES Leptospirosis
Lyme Disease
Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever
RICKETTSIAL DISEASES
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Other Spotted Fevers
Q Fever and Coxiellosis
Epidemic Typhus and Murine Typhus
Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis
VIRAL DISEASES Rabies
Encephalitis: Eastern, Western, and Venezuelan
West Nile Virus and Other Diseases Caused by Flaviviruses: Yellow Fever, Dengue, St. Louis
Encephalitis, Japanese Encephalitis, Powassan Encephalitis, and Deer Tick Virus
Colorado Tick Fever and Human Diseases Caused by Bunyaviruses: La Crosse Encephalitis,
California Encephalitis, Cache Valley Virus, and Jamestown Canyon Virus
Hantaviruses
Influenza
FUNGAL DISEASES Cryptococcosis
Histoplasmosis
PRIONS Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease in Humans, Chronic Wasting Disease in Cervids, Mad Cow Disease
in Cattle, and Scrapie in Sheep and Goats
PARASITES Baylisascariasis and Raccoon Roundworms
Trichinellosis
Swimmer’s Itch and Giardiasis Appendix A: Definition of Medical Terms Used in This Book
Appendix B: Scientific Names for Species Mentioned in This Book
Appendix C: Photos of North American Ticks, Lice, and Fleas That Can
Transmit Diseases from Animals to Humans
Appendix D: Zoonotic Diseases Covered in This Book
Index
