Viruses, Plagues, and History : Past, Present, and Future Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

“Viruses, Plagues, & History” focuses on the effects of viral diseases on human history. Written by an eminent internationally respected virologist, it couples the fabric of history with major concepts developed in virology, immunology, vaccination, and accounts by people who first had, saw and acted at the times these events occurred. Much of the preventive and therapeutic progress (vaccines, antiviral drugs) has been made in the last 60 years. Many of those who played commanding roles in the fight to understand, control and eradicate viruses and viral diseases are (were) personally known to the author and several episodes described in this book reflect their input. The book records the amazing accomplishments that led to the control of lethal and disabling viral diseases caused by Smallpox, Yellow Fever, Measles, Polio, Hepatitis A, B and C, and HIV. These six success stories are contrasted with viral infections currently out of control—COVID-19, Ebola virus, Lassa Fever virus, Hantavirus, West Nile virus, and Zika. Influenza, under reasonable containment at present, but with the potential to revert to a world-wide pandemic similar to 1918–1919 where over 50 million people were killed. The new platforms to develop inhibitory and prophylactic vaccines to limit these and other viral diseases is contrasted to the anti-vaccine movement and the false prophets of autism.