A Geography of Infection: Spatial Processes and Patterns in Epidemics and Pandemics

Smallman-Raynor, Matthew; Cliff, Andrew; Ord, Keith; Haggett, Peter

Abstract

The last half century has witnessed two landmark events in medical history. The 1970s saw euphoria about the defeat of one of humankind’s oldest disease scourges with the global eradication of smallpox. To set against this, the 2020s are experiencing the pandemic ravages of new viral diseases, of which COVID–19 is currently the most potent. A Geography of Infection explores the distinctive spatial patterns and processes by which such infectious diseases spread from place to place and can grow from local and regional epidemics into global pandemics. It focuses initially on the local scale of doctors’ practices and small islands where epidemic outbreaks are slight in the numbers infected and in geographical extent. Such local area studies raise two questions. First, how and where do epidemic diseases emerge and second, why do more diseases appear to be emerging now? To approach such questions implies a shift in spatial gear from painting epidemics with a fine-tipped local brush to an expanded palette on which doctors’ practices and small islands are replaced by regional and global populations. Simultaneously, time bands are extended backwards to the origins of civilization and forwards into the twenty-first century. It eventually leads to a consideration of global pandemics – both historical (for example, plague, cholera and influenza) and contemporary (HIV/AIDS and COVID–19). A Geography of Infection is concluded with a change of direction from the study of ways in which infections spread geographically to examine ways in which such spread can be prevented using isolation or quarantine to separate the susceptible and infected components of a population, and by deploying safe and effective vaccines and treatments.

Citation

Smallman-Raynor, M., Cliff, A., Ord, K., & Haggett, P. (2022). A Geography of Infection: Spatial Processes and Patterns in Epidemics and Pandemics. (2nd). Oxford: Oxford University Press (OUP)

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Online Publication Date: Feb 17, 2022
• Publication Date: Feb 17, 2022
• Deposit Date: Feb 9, 2022
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Edition: 2nd
• ISBN: 9780192848390
• Keywords: disease control; epidemic; geography; infection; modelling; spatial diffusion
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/7411840
• Publisher URL: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/a-geography-of-infection-9780192848390?view=Standard&subjectcode2=1803707%7CMED00160&facet_narrowbybinding_facet=Hardcover&type=listing&facet_narrowbyprice_facet=50to100&lang=en&cc=us