The Invisible Enemy. A Natural History Of Viruses

Viruses are disarmingly small and simple, the cause of both the common cold and flu. Nevertheless, the smallpox virus killed over 300 million people in the 20th century alone, before it was eradicated in 1980. The AIDS virus, HIV, is now the single most common cause of death in Africa. In recent years, the outbreaks of several lethal viruses such as Ebola and hanta virus have caused great public concern. In this fascinating and vividly written book, Dorothy Crawford describes all aspects of the it natural history of these deadly parasites, explaining how they differ from other micro- organisms. She looks at the havoc viruses have wreaked in the past, how they evolve, and the detective work involved in uncovering them and in devising vaccines. Finally she considers whether a new virus could emerge which might wipe out the human race. Both informative and highly readable, this book is a superb account of these minute but remarkably efficient killers.