Epiztext: The first electronic textbook for education and training in general epizootiology

Abstract

First electronic textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in general epizootiology was developed under the name EPIZTEXT. Its version 2.2 is operated under Microsoft WORD text processing software for WINDOWS. The English written textbook contains 34 chapters. The initial one defines the epizootiology as the science that studies animal population health and diseases, their determinants and defines methods for promotion, protection and restoration of health. The first section covers animal population characteristics of health importance, disease resistance, population health and disease measurement indicators, population structures according to epizootiological characteristics, etiological agents, their sources and ways of transmission, environmental factors, infection process, epizootic process, disease nidality, zoonoses, economic factors and consequences of population health and disease. The second section includes principles and methods for animal population health and disease investigations, information systems, analyses, monitoring and surveillance. The third section deals with principles and methods for practical actions such as decision-making about anti-epizootic strategy and measures, active creation of population health, preventive and recovery measures including disease reduction, elimination and eradication, measures against diseases common to man and animals, protection of country territory, sanitation, planning, organization and management of animal population health programmes, their results and efficiency evaluation. Learners can study perusing the text, finding easily selected terms and chapters and print parts or the whole textbook. Epizootiological methods are indispensable also for avoiding diseases spreading through international trade in animal commodities which represents serious risk of disease globalization.