A revolutionary book that presents analytical tools for understanding why a particular disease is transmitted within a specific geographic area.

A. Townsend Peterson, one of the pioneers of ecological niche modeling, presents a synthesis that illuminates new and more effective infectious disease mapping methods. His work—the culmination of twelve years of refinement—breaks new ground by integrating biogeographic and ecological factors with spatial models. Aimed at seasoned epidemiologists and public health experts, this interdisciplinary book explains the conceptual and technical underpinnings of Peterson’s approach while simultaneously describing the potentially enormous benefits of his modeling method.

Peterson treats disease transmission areas for what they are—distributions of species. The book argues that complex, fragmented, and highly irregular disease patterns can only be understood when underlying environmental drivers are considered. The result is an elegant modeling approach that challenges static spatial models and provides a framework for recasting disease mapping. Anyone working in the area of disease transmission, particularly those employing predictive maps, will find Peterson’s book both inspiring and indispensable.

A. Townsend Peterson is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Kansas. He is the coauthor of Ecological Niches and Geographic Distributions.