eBook

Mad Dogs and Meerkats

Karen Brown

2011

Overview

Through the ages, rabies has exemplified the danger of diseases that transfer from wild animals to humans and their domestic stock. In South Africa, rabies has been on the rise since the latter part of the twentieth century despite the availability of postexposurevaccines and regular inoculation campaigns for dogs.InMad Dogs and Meerkats: A History of Resurgent Rabies in Southern Africa,Karen Brownlinks the increase of rabies to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Her study shows that the most afflictedregions of South Africa have seen a dangerous rise in feral dog populations as people lack the education, means, or will to care for their pets or take them to inoculation centers. Most victims are poor black children. Ineffective disease control, which in part depends on management policies in neighboring states and the diminished medical and veterinary infrastructures in Zimbabwe, has exacerbated the problem.This highly readable book is the first study of rabies in Africa, tracing its history in South Africa and neighboring states from 1800 to the present and showing how environmental and economicchanges brought about by European colonialism and global trade have had long-term effects.Mad Dogs and Meerkatsis recommended for public health policy makers and anyone interested in human-animal relations and how societies and governmentshave reacted to one of the world's most feared diseases.

• Publisher: Ohio University Press
• Subject: 19th century / 20th century / 21st century / Africa / Africa, Southern / Biological Sciences / Canidae / Canidae -- Africa, Southern / Disease Outbreaks / Disease Outbreaks -- history -- Africa, Southern / Disease Vectors / Disease Vectors -- Africa, Southern / Epidemiology / Health Sciences / Herpestidae / Herpestidae -- Africa, Southern / HISTORY / History, 19th Century / History, 19th Century -- Africa, Southern / History, 20th Century / History, 20th Century -- Africa, Southern / History, 21st Century / History, 21st Century -- Africa, Southern / Rabies / Rabies -- Africa, Southern -- Epidemiology / Rabies -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 19th century / Rabies -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 20th century / Rabies -- Africa, Southern -- History -- 21st century / Rabies -- epidemiology -- Africa, Southern / Rabies -- history -- Africa, Southern / SCIENCE / South
• ISBN: 0821419536, 9780821419533, 9780821443675, 0821443674