Control of Communicable Diseases Manual
Encyclopedia
The Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (CCDM) is one of the most widely recognized reference volumes on the topic of infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...

s. It is useful for physicians, epidemiologists, global travelers, emergency volunteers and all who have dealt with or might have to deal with public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...

 issues.

The title of the book, as registered in the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...

, is Control of Communicable Diseases Manual 19th edition, An Official Report of the American Public Health Association. The editor of CCDM is David L. Heymann
David L. Heymann
David L. Heymann, MD was appointed Chairman of the Board of the UK Health Protection Agency in April 2009. Prior to this, Dr. Heymann was the World Health Organization's Assistant Director-General for Health Security and Environment and the representative of the Director-General for Polio...

, MD.

History

The first edition, published in 1915, was titled Control of communicable diseases in man; it was also known then as the CCDM. The first edition was a small pamphlet, and for a long time the paperback edition was a handy pocket book. Now, the softcover version can fit in the largest pocket of a spacious winter coat.

The paperback and hardcover editions are both 746 pages. The paperback dimensions are 17 x 11.2 x 3.8 cm, and the hardcover dimensions are 17.8 x 12.1 x 3.8 cm. The ISBN for the hardcover edition is 978-0-87533-190-8, and the ISBN for the paperback edition is 978-0-87533-189-2.

Latest edition

The American Public Health Association
American Public Health Association
The American Public Health Association is Washington, D.C.-based professional organization for public health professionals in the United States. Founded in 1872 by Dr. Stephen Smith, APHA has more than 30,000 members worldwide...

 published the 19th edition of the CCDM in 2008 under the editorship of David L. Heymann
David L. Heymann
David L. Heymann, MD was appointed Chairman of the Board of the UK Health Protection Agency in April 2009. Prior to this, Dr. Heymann was the World Health Organization's Assistant Director-General for Health Security and Environment and the representative of the Director-General for Polio...

, MD. International infectious disease and public health experts, at both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...

 and the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...

, have updated this version.

The 19th edition includes eleven new chapters on topics fundamental to a global public health landscape. Chapter topics include: risk management, public health security in a globalized world, international health regulations, reporting of communicable diseases, outbreak response in bioterrorism, communicable disease control in humanitarian emergencies and handling of infectious materials. Other new chapters offer guidance on disease control at mass gatherings, after natural disasters or in emergency situations.

Content

The Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (CCDM) compiles comprehensive scientific data about communicable diseases, which significantly contribute to mortality and morbidity around the world. The CCDM emphasizes the epidemiological aspects of communicable diseases and provides information about their identification, reporting, control and prevention.

Disease Descriptions

The CCDM lists diseases in alphabetical order and includes information on each disease using the following nine sections:
  1. Identification
  2. Infectious agent
  3. Occurrence
  4. Reservoir
  5. Mode of transmission
  6. Incubation period
  7. Period of communicability
  8. Susceptibility and resistance
  9. Methods of control


The size of each section varies considerably. For instance, the reservoir section for smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...

 is less than a line long, since this disease is, in theory, only present in the freezers of official laboratories. By contrast, the anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...

entry has a large paragraph on the current reservoir.

Availability

The cost of the publication is $US 45 for the hard cover; and $US 32 for members of the APHA. The soft cover is available for $35 for nonmembers and $25 for members.

The book has been published in a number of languages, including Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Arabic, a testament to its global audience.

An online version of the CCDM will become available in March 2010.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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