Phillip K. Peterson - Microbes: The Life-Changing Story of Germs

Microbes

The Life-Changing Story of Germs

Phillip K. Peterson

An imprint of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200

Lanham, Maryland 20706

www.rowman.com

Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK

Copyright 2020 by Phillip K. Peterson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Name: Peterson, Phillip K., author.

Title: Microbes : the life-changing story of germs / Phillip K. Peterson.

Description: Lanham, MD : Prometheus, [2020] | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: With straightforward and engaging writing, infectious diseases physician Phillip Peterson surveys how our understanding of viruses has changed throughout history, from early plagues and pandemics to more recent outbreaks like HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and the Zika virus. Microbes also takes on contemporary issues like the importance of vaccinations in the face of the growing anti-vaxxer movement, as well as the rise of cutting-edge health treatments like fecal transplants. Microbes explains for general readers where these germs came from, what they do to and for us, and what can be done to stop the bad actors and foster the benefactorsProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019057113 (print) | LCCN 2019057114 (ebook) | ISBN 9781633886346 (cloth) | ISBN 9781633886353 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: MicroorganismsPopular works. | Medical microbiologyPopular works. | VaccinesPopular works.

Classification: LCC QR56 .P48 2020 (print) | LCC QR56 (ebook) | DDC 616.9/041dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019057113

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019057114

TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

To Anders, Sonja, Ilsa, and Svea

It is the microbes who will have the last word.

Louis Pasteur

If microbial life were to disappear, that would be itinstant death for the planet.

Carl Woese

Do a search of the major online bookstores and youll find more than ten thousand titles addressing one or more aspects of microbes, including those related to infectious diseases. Imagine trying to read one of these books each week; it would take you at least 192 years to complete that task. So I present a major time-saver: Microbes: The Life-Changing Story of Germs, which summarizes all the important information you need to know in an easy-to-read and understandable book. It features a fun narrative that highlights the content and message of all of these books about microbes. It is a microbial history lesson, a personal journal, a worldwide travelogue, a science textbook, and an entertainment guide, all wrapped into one. Whether you are an infectious disease expert, a general practice physician or nurse, a microbiologist, a teacher or student, or even a member of the general public with an interest in the fascinating, dynamic world of microbes and human, animal, and environmental health, this book is a must read! You will take delight in what you learn about your own health and how the ever-evolving microbial world affects it.

Dr. Peterson is a storyteller who also has an in-depth understanding of the good, the bad, and the ugly of microbes. This book is conveniently divided into three parts. In the first part, Intimate Friends, we learn how microbes are responsible for our current oxygen-rich environment that supports all life and how they are our intimate bodyguards and critical companions in making our very existence possible. In the second part, Mortal Enemies, we learn how microbes can kill us, as well as all other living species on earth. In the last part, Germs in the Future, we are treated to a futuristic story of how we can harness the power of microbes to make us healthier and even safer, while also recognizing that germs are still in the drivers seat with regard to the ever-dynamic world of microbial evolution.

We are treated to many fascinating facts in this book, but rather than challenging us to be scientists or healthcare providers, Dr. Peterson entertains and informs in a way that makes it hard to stop turning the page. Many readers likely will be surprised to learn of the essential role microbes have played in human history. This includes how microbes keep us healthyyes, most are our dear friends and even our protectors, not killers or health thugsand in some cases even help us become healthier. Most microbes are beneficial to human, animal, and plant health and planetary health overall. Today we are bombarded with advertising for a variety of disinfectants that want us to believe the only good microbe is a dead microbe. This book is an authoritative guide to understanding and appreciating how microbes benefit us. Imagine how your life, or that of a loved one or colleague, might one day be saved by a friendly therapeutic virus, called a phage, that attacks the antibiotic-resistant infection caused by bacteria for which we no longer have an effective antibiotic.

But make no mistake, there are microbes that are our enemies. In fact, today there are more than 1,400 recognized infectious diseasesas well as others yet to be discovered or for which the microbes have yet to evolve into disease causers. Yes, these disease-causing microbes are but a small minority of the total number of microbes in our world, but their damaging impact cant be denied or minimized. We learn in narrative detail the deathly impact of microbial-caused diseases like smallpox, plague, Ebola, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, influenza, cholera, Zika, dengue, and antimicrobial-resistant infections. The viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause these diseases are as dangerous and capable of causing serious and even societal-disruptive impacts on humans, animals, and plants as any major weapon system our military possesses today. A devastating influenza pandemica worldwide epidemiccould result in more global deaths in just a few months than the detonation of a nuclear warhead somewhere in the world. Dr. Peterson provides us with a clear and compelling story of why the future of infectious diseases is seriously challenging, even with our modern medical research and technology accomplishments.

This book will help you conclude that we must deeply respect microbes and understand in much more detail how they help us and how they kill us. The importance of vaccines and antibiotics, and why we must continue to invest in their development, is described in the clearest of terms. Just think of the incredible impact that vaccines against infectious diseases have had; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that vaccines given to infants and young children over the past two decades will prevent 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations, and 732,000 deaths over the course of those peoples lifetimes. Compelling? I think so. Nonetheless, today we have severe and vocal critics of vaccines, who through deceptive messages not based on any reliable scientific studies strongly discourage the use of vaccines. Dr. Peterson addresses this issue head-on and provides us with the information we need to challenge these dangerous antivaccine voices.