Fighting Off Micro-Invader Epidemics Additional Information

Published by Lerner Publishing, 2000.

You may not know what an epidemiologist is—but maybe one day, an epidemiologist will save your life. Epidemiologists are disease detectives. When a disease suddenly breaks out, epidemiologists figure out how it was spread, and what caused it. Doctors study disease in individuals, and epidemiologists study disease in populations. Full of stories and anecdotes, this book gives an introduction to epidemiology, and a closer look at microbes. It tells about the great plagues of history—black death and smallpox—and the infectious diseases still common today, like malaria, influenza, and diphtheria. The book discusses lethal diseases—AIDS, Legionnaire’s disease, the Ebola virus, and the Muerto Canyon virus; and how epidemiologists study these diseases. The last chapter focuses on the “ongoing battles” of disease investigation, including Lyme disease, Mad Cow disease, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Published by Enslow Publishers, 2001.

In the summer of 1999, three patients at a New York City hospital shared unusual symptoms-they were feverish, confused, and too weak to move. Nearby, a specialist at the Bronx Zoo noticed crows dying at an alarming rate. Finally, scientists figured out what was going on: West Nile, a rare mosquito-borne virus had struck New York City. This book in the Diseases and People series discusses the West Nile virus, malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever. Also, it mentions the anatomy and life of mosquitoes, and gives a comprehensive look at prevention methods, including the environmental problems with many prevention methods. A final chapter discusses the future of mosquito-borne illnesses, and mentions the effects of global warming on disease and the prospects of genetically engineered mosquitoes.

Published by Rosen Publishing Group, 2002.

Have you ever heard of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)? If you’ve heard of Mad Cow disease, then you know a little about it– Mad Cow disease is another name for this devastating disease, which kills cows by creating holes in their brains. In a clearly written text, this book explains about BSE and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. It discusses the mechanics of the disease and what happens when proteins go bad, as well as the history of the epidemic in Britain and the measures taken to guard against BSE in other places. If you’re concerned about the safety of eating meat, or just curious about mad cow disease, and you aren’t squeamish about learning about the practices of the meat industry that led to mad cow disease (i.e., feeding the meat and bones of cows to other cows), this book will prove to be a great resource.