Of Mice, Men, and Microbes Hantavirus

"...In their clearly written book, Of Mice, Men, and Microbes: Hantavirus, Harper and Meyer examine the history of identification of hantaviruses and describe the pathogenesis of the illnesses they cause and their worldwide influence... Readers will finish the book realizing that no infections are new; it is only our recognition of the causes that is new. Readers will also realize that disease and epidemics follow chance encounters among men, mice and associated microbes. Despite their focus on hantaviruses, the authors take readers on a journey to understand the origin and biology of viruses, the coevolution of viruses and their hosts, and humans' fear of new outbreaks and their eventual conquest with new knowledge... anyone interested in hantaviruses will find that this book tells a very complete story. The host, agent, vector, geography,climate, psychology, and cultural responses of the people who are infected are all described. There is much to learn." --Richard Wenzel, M.D., in NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, 2000

"An essential book of those interested in emerging diseases." --P.C. Radich, University of Indianapolis, in CHOICE, 2000

"The authors, one a scientist, the other a journalist, have produced an excellent read for the expert and non-expert alike." --R.C. Spencer in JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY, 1999

:"...In their clearly written book, Of Mice, Men, and Microbes: Hantavirus, Harper and Meyer examine the history of identification of hantaviruses and describe the pathogenesis of the illnesses they cause and their worldwide influence... Readers will finish the book realizing that no infections are new; it is only our recognition of the causes that is new. Readers will also realize that disease and epidemics follow chance encounters among men, mice and associated microbes. Despite their focus on hantaviruses, the authors take readers on a journey to understand the origin and biology of viruses, the coevolution of viruses and their hosts, and humans' fear of new outbreaks and their eventual conquest with new knowledge... anyone interested in hantaviruses will find that this book tells a very complete story. The host, agent, vector, geography,climate, psychology, and cultural responses of the people who are infected are all described. There is much to learn. --Richard Wenzel, M.D., in NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE (March 2000) "An essential book of those interested in emerging diseases." --P.C. Radich, University of Indianapolis, in CHOICE (2000) "The authors, one a scientist, the other a journalist, have produced an excellent read for the expert and non-expert alike." --R.C. Spencer in JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY (1999)