Emerging Viruses

New epidemics such as AIDS and "mad cow" disease have dramatized the
need to explore the factors underlying rapid viral evolution and
emerging viruses. This comprehensive volume is the first to describe
this multifaceted new field. It places viral evolution and emergence
in a historical context, describes the interaction of viruses with
hosts, and details the advances in molecular biology and epidemiology
that have provided the tools necessary to track developing viral
epidemics and to detect new viruses far more successfully than could
be done in the recent past. This unique book also lucidly details
case histories and offers practical suggestions for the prevention of
future epidemics. The contributors are leading authorities in their
disciplines, and were selected both for their expert knowledge and for
their ability to define and elucidate the fundamental issues. The
book is highly accessible and has been written for a wide audience
that includes virologists, public health authorities, medical
anthropologists, evolutionary biologists, geneticists, infectious
disease specialists, and social scientists interested in medical and
health issues.