Pandemics : what everyone needs to know / Peter C. Doherty.

Includes bibliographical references.

Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty offers a level-headed guide to all aspects of pandemics-what they are, how they spread, and what we can do to prevent them Pandemics. The word conjures up images of horrific diseases sweeping the globe and killing everyone in their path. But such highly lethal illnesses almost never create pandemics. The reality is deadly serious but far more subtle. In Pandemics, Peter Doherty, who won the Nobel Prize for his work on how the immune system recognizes virus-infected cells, offers an essential guide to one of the truly life-or-death issues of our age. In concise, que.

Cover; TABLE OF CONTENTS; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; ABBREVIATIONS; INTRODUCTION; 1 Infection and Immunity; What is the difference between a virus and a bacterium?; What is the difference between RNA and DNA?; Aren't viruses also much smaller than bacteria?; Why is it important to distinguish viruses from bacteria when discussing pandemics?; Are colds and flu caused by hundreds of viruses?; What exactly is a pathogen?; How does infection happen?; What is snot?; What is a horizontal infection? Is there another kind?; Are all virus and bacterial infections bad for us?

If there is a bacterial and protozoal "microbiome," is there also a "virome"?What does "immunity" mean?; What are monoclonal antibodies?; Would you describe mAbs as drugs or vaccines?; What are vaccines?; 2 Pandemics, Epidemics, and Outbreaks; What is the exact definition of pandemic?; Who declares a pandemic?; Was the H1N1 "swine flu" really so mild?; How does the WHO operate?; Should the pandemic classification system be refined?; How does a pandemic differ from an epidemic or an outbreak?; Do all pandemics involve infection?; What does the term "zoonosis" mean?

What is an endemic infection, and how does it differ from an epidemic infection?Are plants also included in the world of pandemics?; In Summary; 3 The SARS Warning; Why was SARS so scary?; How did SARS spread so quickly through hospitals?; What caused SARS and where did the pathogen come from?; Aside from "natural" reservoirs, are there other potential sources of SARS?; What steps were taken to stop the SARS outbreak?; Did the SARS experience have long-term effects, and what lessons were learned?; 4 Tuberculosis and Influenza; Why should TB and influenza be considered together?

What is the current situation with TB?Is multi-drug-resistant TB still an issue?; What is being done to combat the MDR TB threat?; Why might influenza remain the most obvious known pandemic threat?; What are the different kinds of influenza viruses?; What is antigenic shift and why is it so dangerous?; Are birds and pigs our main concern when it comes to catching the flu?; What was so special about the virus that caused the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic?; Is our capacity to counter influenza improving?; Are we making progress with flu vaccines?

Apart from vaccines, are there other products available to prevent infection?How afraid should we be of influenza?; 5 Fledermaus to Field Mouse; What's a fledermaus?; Is it unusual that fruit bats carry SARS?; Are the henipaviruses potential pandemic pathogens?; Is Ebola the scariest of all viruses?; What exactly is a hemorrhagic disease?; Are filoviruses the main cause of hemorrhagic fevers?; 6 Virus Vectors; What is a vector?; What is WNV, and has it been around for very long?; WNV infects birds, horses, and humans-does it also multiply in mosquitoes?; What exactly is yellow fever virus?

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