The New Killer Diseases
How the Alarming Evolution of Germs Threatens Us All
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- 4,49 €
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- 4,49 €
Beschreibung des Verlags
Protect yourself and your family from the threat of emerging diseases with a detailed, gripping exploration of the dangerous microbes we’re up against, from a respected immunologist and veteran science author—with a new Epilogue by the authors
“[Levy and Fischetti] excel at describing the sleuthing and science that helped to break the code on emerging infections.”—Los Angeles Times
All around us—in our homes, workplaces, and public spaces—bacteria and viruses are evolving at a feverish rate, and our best defenses against them are in danger of being overwhelmed. The threat posed by an emerging outbreak is as formidable as any challenge the human race has ever faced, and the evolutionary scales may be tipping in favor of the microbes.
From mad cow disease and Asian bird flu to SARS, West Nile virus, and Ebola, more than thirty new diseases have arisen since the 1970s; and old scourges, from plague to tuberculosis, have reemerged in more dangerous forms. But how imminent, really, is the danger?
Through riveting patient information and a behind-the-scenes tour of the health care system, Levy and Fischetti reveal:
• How we’ve managed to contain certain epidemics, while allowing others to rage out of control
• Why the demand for vaccines too often exceeds the supply, and why it took the FDA thirty-four years to approve the first new class of antibiotics since 1965.
• How new infectious diseases manifest themselves, symptoms to watch for, and how to get a correct diagnosis in time
• The latest scientific developments, from new genetic techniques to promising drug programs that might allow us to beat back the microbe menace.
The New Killer Diseases will leave you fully informed about the true extent of the threat we face and what you can do to help minimize risk of a pandemic.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Anthrax, West Nile virus, the threat of smallpox as terrorist weapon and the sudden appearance of SARS have raised concerns about the ability of the public health system to address outbreaks of infectious diseases. In fast-paced science reporting that is part detective story and part thriller, immunologist Levy and Scientific American contributing editor Fischetti conduct readers through a terrifying landscape where mutant bacteria and viruses run amok. The writers examine a range of bacterial and viral threats, from mad cow disease and influenza to diseases once nearly eradicated but now on the rise, like tuberculosis. Levy and Fischetti effectively recount the distressing stories of patients who have suffered, and died, from an unknown or medicine-resistant pathogen, such as the variant of E. colithat killed three-year-old Brianna Kriefall after she ate some watermelon from a salad bar at a restaurant. Levy and Fischetti argue that various new forms of diseases are easily introduced in our world of easy travel between countries and of the lax regulatory policies on imported foods. In addition, they contend, the overuse of antibiotics creates drug-resistant "superbugs." Yet the book's militaristic language and alarmist tone ("The human race is in the midst of an escalating biological war against an army of microscopic foes") resemble the scare tactics of political and military propaganda.
