Veterinarians now have access to two new animal health resources: Practical Aspects of Immunity and Practical Aspects of Vaccinology. These CD-ROMs, distributed by Merial, will provide veterinarians with background information and the latest developments in the areas of immunity and vaccinology.

"These interactive tools will be useful for training the veterinary staff, as well as provide a refresher course for experienced practitioners," says Dr. Zack Mills, director, companion animal vaccine marketing, Merial. Lifelearn, Inc., developed the programs to serve as interactive multimedia training tools on the practical aspects of immunity and vaccination. The products are designed to help the user understand infection and the immune system's response, how vaccination works to prevent infection and disease, and the keys to successful vaccine use.

Topics covered on the Practical Aspects of Immunity CD-ROM include:
• specific and non-specific immune mechanisms
• measurement and duration of immunity
• protective immune response
• inappropriate immune response

Topics covered on the Practical Aspects of Vaccinology include:
• the history of vaccinology
• vaccine types
• adjuvants and immunomodulators
• vaccination strategies

Features of the CD-ROMs include 2-D and 3-D cellular animations, a book-marking feature that allows users to mark their place before exiting the program, and a "challenge yourself" section where users can test their knowledge. They include a visual and textual definitions section that is cross-linked with terms used in the program.

The CD-ROMs are available at no cost to veterinarians, veterinary students and technicians by contacting their local Merial sales representative, or calling (888) MERIAL-1 for more information.

The media requires a Pentium 133 MHz or better computer, 16 Mb of RAM (32 Mb recommended), a 640 x 480 monitor with 64k colours (video card with at least 1 Mb or RAM), 8 bit sound card and speakers, CD-ROM drive (8X or higher recommended), and Microsoft Windows 95 or higher.

More information is available at Merial's Web site.