Viruses: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) [Kindle Edition]
Author: Dorothy H. Crawford | Language: English | ISBN: B005JC0R5W | Format: PDF, EPUB
Viruses: A Very Short Introduction
Posts about Download The Book Viruses: A Very Short Introduction for everyone book mediafire, rapishare, and mirror link Viruses are big news. From pandemics such as HIV, swine flu, and SARS, we are constantly being bombarded with information about new lethal infections. In this Very Short Introduction Dorothy Crawford demonstrates how clever these entities really are. From their discovery and the unravelling of their intricate structures, Crawford demonstrates how these tiny parasites are by far the most abundant life forms on the planet. With up to two billion of them in each litre of sea
water, viruses play a vital role in controlling the marine environment and are essential to the ocean's delicate ecosystem.
Analyzing the threat of emerging virus infections, Crawford recounts stories of renowned killer viruses such as Ebola and rabies as well as the less known bat-borne Nipah and Hendra viruses. Pinpointing wild animals as the source of the most recent pandemics, she discusses the reasons behind the present increase in potentially fatal infections, as well as evidence suggesting that long term viruses can eventually lead to cancer.
By examining our lifestyle in the 21st century, Crawford looks to the future to ask whether we can ever live in harmony with viruses, and considers the ways in which we may need to adapt to prevent emerging viruses with devastating consequences.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. Books with free ebook downloads available Viruses: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) [Kindle Edition]
Posts about Download The Book Viruses: A Very Short Introduction for everyone book mediafire, rapishare, and mirror link Viruses are big news. From pandemics such as HIV, swine flu, and SARS, we are constantly being bombarded with information about new lethal infections. In this Very Short Introduction Dorothy Crawford demonstrates how clever these entities really are. From their discovery and the unravelling of their intricate structures, Crawford demonstrates how these tiny parasites are by far the most abundant life forms on the planet. With up to two billion of them in each litre of sea
water, viruses play a vital role in controlling the marine environment and are essential to the ocean's delicate ecosystem.
Analyzing the threat of emerging virus infections, Crawford recounts stories of renowned killer viruses such as Ebola and rabies as well as the less known bat-borne Nipah and Hendra viruses. Pinpointing wild animals as the source of the most recent pandemics, she discusses the reasons behind the present increase in potentially fatal infections, as well as evidence suggesting that long term viruses can eventually lead to cancer.
By examining our lifestyle in the 21st century, Crawford looks to the future to ask whether we can ever live in harmony with viruses, and considers the ways in which we may need to adapt to prevent emerging viruses with devastating consequences.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. Books with free ebook downloads available Viruses: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) [Kindle Edition]
- File Size: 827 KB
- Print Length: 174 pages
- Publisher: OUP Oxford; 1st edition (July 28, 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B005JC0R5W
- Text-to-Speech: Enabled
- Lending: Enabled
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,472 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #35 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Professional & Technical > Medical eBooks > Internal Medicine > Infectious Disease > Communicable Diseases
- #63 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Professional & Technical > Medical eBooks > Special Topics > History
This is my second 'Very Short Introduction' book, and I've found them to be both well-written and factual. Plus they're the perfect size to store in my purse for those long, boring sit-downs in the doctor's waiting room (not to mention the long boring lie-downs in the examination room).
'Viruses' started out with slight misstep--it placed Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in the 16th century--but as far as I could tell, the rest of the book is error-free. It is made up of a series of detective stories: the discovery of disease-causing microbes that were able to pass through bacteria-trapping filters; the detection of emerging virus infections such as SARS; the discovery of viruses that cause tumors; and of course, the research on methods of preventing or ameliorating viral infections.
The question as to whether viruses are alive always provokes a lively discussion. According to this author: "Because virus particles are inert, without the ability to generate energy or manufacture proteins independently, they are not generally regarded as living organisms." She is obviously on the side of viruses as non-living, able to reproduce only after hijacking a living cell's internal machinery. Different types of viruses are described and classified, one of the biggest differences being whether the virus has an RNA or a DNA genome. The RNA viruses tend to mutate much more quickly, including such infamous examples as measles and HIV.
Only a very small number of viruses cause diseases in animals and plants. In the chapter "Viruses are everywhere" the author states: "It is now clear that viruses form a huge biomass of enormous variety and complexity in the environment, the whole being aptly termed the 'virosphere'...Microbes are by far the most abundant life form on Earth.
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