A fundamental precept conveyed in disease diagnostic training is the avoidance of arriving at a definitive diagnosis in the field. Nonetheless, an experienced, well trained field veterinarian should be capable of offering tentative differential diagnoses options through careful review of field information. The sum of this ‘field perspective’, in conjunction with laboratory confirmation, aids a country in effective animal disease control.
The Atlas of Transboundary Animal Diseases attempts to capture valuable images of clinical signs and post-mortem lesions consistently associated with transboundary animal diseases. These images can assist field veterinary personnel in making differential diagnoses and, if possible, a tentative diagnosis where appropriate.