Risky Trade

This book examines the risks of epidemic disease posed by the modern era of accelerated global trade. Conversely, it also addresses some of the potential benefits the same globalization can bring to epidemic control through surveillance, diagnostics, treatment, and investigation. The empirical approach ties together existing descriptions and case studies of epidemics building a comprehensive framework for examining new events and considering historical experience with infectious outbreaks. Thus the work helps demythologize some of the scare stories associated with global trade such as nvCJD and puts them into their proper scientific context.