ABSTRACT
Immunology is a relatively young and rapidly developing science that has established itself as a fundamental cornerstone of human and veterinary clinical medicine. There are not many veterinary activities that do not have an immunological aspect. The husbandry of neonatal domestic livestock and the essential requirements for colostral immunity, the crucial role of vaccination in protecting the population and the individual from infectious disease, the laboratory diagnosis of a wide range of disorders, the consequences of chronic disease for immune function and the myriad of immune-mediated diseases caused by disturbance of immune homeostasis are all examples of how basic knowledge of the immune system impacts on the daily practice of veterinary medicine. The aim of this book is to provide this basic knowledge of immune function, but also to clearly relate this to clinical practice.
