Viruses, Plagues, and History

More people were killed by smallpox during the twentieth century--over 300 million--than by all of the wars of that period combined. In 1918 and 1919, influenza virus claimed over 50 million lives. A century later, influenza is poised to return, ongoing plagues of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis infect millions, and Ebola, Zika, and West Nile viruses cause new concern and panic.

The overlapping histories of humans and viruses are ancient. Earliest cities became both the cradle of civilization and breeding grounds for the first viral epidemics. This overlap is the focus of virologist/immunologist Michael Oldstone in Viruses, Plagues and History. Oldstone explains principles of viruses and epidemics while recounting stories of viruses and their impact on human history. This fully updated second edition includes engrossing new chapters on hepatitis, Zika, and contemporary threats such as the possible return of a catastrophic influenza, and the impact of fear of autism on vaccination efforts. This is a fascinating panorama of humankind's longstanding conflict with unseen viral enemies, both human successes--such as control of poliomyelitis, measles, smallpox and yellow fever, and continued dangers--such as HIV and Ebola. Impeccably researched and accessibly written, Viruses, Plagues and History will fascinate all with an interest in how viral illnesses alter the course of human history.

"Here, my previous edition of Viruses, Plagues, & History is updated to reflect both progress and disappointment since that publication. This edition describes newcomers to the range of human infections, specifically, plagues that play important roles in this 21st century. The first is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), an infection related to Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). SARS was the first new-found plague of this century. Zika virus, which is similar to yellow fever virus in being transmitted by mosquitos, is another of the recent scourges. Zika appearing for the first time in the Americas is associated with birth defects and a paralytic condition in adults. Lastly, illness due to hepatitis viruses were observed prominently during the second World War initially associated with blood transfusions and vaccine inoculations. Since then, hepatitis virus infections have afflicted millions of individuals, in some leading to an acute fulminating liver disease or more often to a life-long persistent infection. A subset of those infected has developed liver cancer. However, in a triumph of medical treatments for infectious diseases, pharmaceuticals have been developed whose use virtually eliminates such maladies. For example, Hepatitis C virus infection has been eliminated from almost all (>97%) of its victims. This incredible result was the by-product of basic research in virology as well as cell and molecular biology during which intelligent drugs were designed to block events in the hepatitis virus life-cycle"--

From his account of how smallpox devastated native Indian populations, facilitating the Spanish conquest of Mexico and Peru, to his discussion of the effect of measles on Civil War troops, [Oldstone] makes a solid case...[His] book is sprinkled with good anecdotes.--The New York Times Book Review

The book, written by an expert virologist and immunologist who has spent his life researching how viruses infect cells, is a superb overview of the viral infections that have afflicted humanity. Oldstone's encyclopedic knowledge of the history of this subject adds a unique dimension to this book, which is also thoroughly researched and extensively referenced for readers who want to read the original sources. -- Arpan K. Banerjee, MBBS (LOND), FRCP, FRCR, FBIR, Hektoen International Journal

Concise, telling accounts of the most dreaded viral epidemic diseases and
of the virologists who pioneered their identification, pathogenesis,
and preventionELAccessible reading for the non-specialist.--Science

All educated people need to have some understanding of what viruses are and how we deal with them. [This book] provides us with a very timely and accessible account of the way
that these minute parasites have influenced civilization.--Peter Doherty, 1996 Nobel Laureate in Medicine

Scholarly documentation, sprinkled with fascinating vignettes, of the enormous progress made against viral diseases which have taken more lives than all the warsEL
A must read for non-scientists and policy makers.--Abner Louis Notkins, National Institutes of Health

The book brings together not just a description of these diseases and how they have affected our history and behavior, but also narrates the search for the causative agents, explaining how they are transmitted, how research lead to development of vaccines...
Overall this is an excellent book which I heartily recommend to a wide readership.--Geoffrey L. Smith, University of Oxford

In Viruses, Plagues, & History, Michael B. A. Oldstone brilliantly combines a scientific
and human insight to bring to vivid life humanity's struggles with these deadly forces...
those that have been conquered such as smallpox and yellow fever,
and today's scourges such as Ebola and AIDS.--Cambridge Research Reading Room

This highly readable account describes a number of the most interesting and
significant episodes in the history of virology and viral diseases.--Neal Nathanson, University of Pennsylvania

Oldstone's love of history and scholarship as well as his wisdom and hands-on knowledge of science makes this book engrossing. Everyone from the interested laymen to the infectious disease expert will enjoy his timely accounting of man's battles with viruses that
can kill. This is today's version of DeKruif's Microbe Hunters.--Thomas C. Merigan, Stanford University