Page 20 - Veterinary Immunology, 10th Edition

VetBooks.ir

Preface

This textbook was first published in 1977, at a time when veterinary
immunology was relatively new and poorly understood.
Nevertheless, it was recognized, even then, that immunology held
the key to many of the significant issues in veterinary medicine. The

importance of immunology has not declined since then, except
among those tasked with establishing college curricula. The decline
in basic science instruction at colleges of veterinary medicine in
favor of more clinical training has resulted in graduating a

generation of veterinarians whose knowledge of immunology is
minimal. Yet immunology continues to be a key science. It is central
to our understanding of major veterinary issues such as
vaccination, cancer, infectious diseases, and allergies.

It has been tempting to dilute the contents of this text and its
associated website to conform to current curricular trends. I have
resisted this. Because the amount of knowledge of immunology
required to obtain a veterinary degree has been progressively

reduced, the need to document the science in depth has
correspondingly increased. This book therefore continues to grow
as the result of opening up new, exciting areas of the science.
Veterinarians need to know much of this if they are to practice

cutting-edge science in the 21st century. Read it, study it, and enjoy
its wonderful complexity.
Over the many years that this textbook has been published we
have seen many changes in the science of immunology. In most

cases, these changes have been gradual in nature as investigators
add detail to existing knowledge. Occasionally, however, major
leaps are made that effectively revolutionize the discipline—so-
called paradigm shifts. For example, in the late 1990s, the concept of
innate immunity was accepted. Inflammation and other processes

were finally recognized as being essential components of the

20