The viral storm
Subtitle: the dawn of a new pandemic age
By: Nathan Wolfe
Publisher: Allen Lane
Published: 2011
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 304
ISBN-13: 9781846142987
Subjects: Epidemics; Viruses; Virus diseases; Molecular evolution; Human evolution
Description: "Do you think you know all about the risk of a global pandemic? The threat could be far greater than we had ever imagined. In this important new book, award-winning biologist Nathan Wolfe examines the world of viruses and points the way forward, examining how new technologies can be brought to bear in the most remote areas of the world to neutralize these viruses and even harness their power for the good of humanity. Wolfe's research missions to the jungles of Africa and the rain forests of Borneo have earned him the nickname 'the Indiana Jones of virus hunters', and here he takes readers along on his groundbreaking and often dangerous research trips to reveal the surprising origins of the most deadly diseases and to explain the role that viruses have played in human evolution. In The Viral Storm Wolfe tells the story of how viruses and human beings have evolved side by side through history; how deadly viruses like HIV, swine flu, and bird flu almost wiped us out in the past; and why modern life has made our species vulnerable to the threat of a global pandemic. His provocative vision of the future will change the way we think about viruses, and may even remove a potential threat to the survival of humanity itself."--Publisher's website.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 257-286 and index.
Table of contents: title: 1. The viral planet; title: 2. The hunting ape; title: 3. The great microbe bottleneck; title: 4. Churn, churn, churn; title: 5. The first pandemic; title: 6. One world; title: 7. The intimate species; title: 8. Viral rush; title: 9. Virus hunters; title: 10. Microbe forecasting; title: 11. The gentle virus; title: 12. The last plague.