Six Modern Plagues and How We Are Causing Them...random thoughts

Six Modern Plagues and How We Are Causing Them by Mark Jerome Walters.

I was inspired to pick up this book at the library after reading New Guinea Tapeworms and Jewish Grandmothers by Robert S. Desowitz. The basic theme of that book had been how we as humans were exacerbating many infectious disease problems in the world through our altering of the environment. And while I enjoyed that book, it was, at times, a bit much for a non-scientist as myself to get through. Not to mention that it was written in the 1980s. Six Modern Plagues sounded as if it might be a nice follow-up on the subject. And I'm pleased to say it was. I honestly had a hard time putting this book down...it was a truly fascinating look at the relationship between human actions and infectious disease.

From the introduction:

So closely are many new epidemics linked to ecological changes that they might rightfully be called "ecodemics."

Intensive modern agriculture, clear-cutting of forests, global climate change, decimation of many predators that once kept disease-carrying smaller animals in check, and other environmental changes have all contributed to the increase.

Each chapter focuses on a different disease, Mad Cow Disease, HIV/AIDS, Salmonella DT104, Lyme Disease, Hantavirus, and West Nile Virus. In addition, the author also talks a bit about SARS in the epilogue. He discusses in a very down-to-earth manner how these diseases have come to affect the lives of humans, as well as the reasons why we are dealing with them in the first place.

*****

If you have also reviewed this book, feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll post it here. Thanks.

*****

Read for:

Non-Fiction Five '08. (substitute)

New Guinea Tapeworms and Jewish Grandmothers...random thoughts

New Guinea Tapeworms and Jewish Grandmothers: Tales of Parasites and People by Robert S. Desowitz.

No clue how to review this book. None at all. But since I read it for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge, I guess I have to at least make an effort. Though frankly, I do not foresee convincing anyone to go pick up this book. Not because I didn't enjoy it, I'm just not sure how many people who read my blog are looking to brush up on their knowledge of parasites. Then again, who knows. :)

This was quite a different kind of read for me. Aside from stuff for homeschooling, the only science-type reading I generally do is more of a natural history nature. So, this was horizon expanding, to say the least.

I worried a bit before starting that this book might be above my head, not being a scientist myself. There were a few times when I had to reread a page here and there when he got to talking about evolutionary biology and speciation in parasites, but overall it was very lay-person friendly. The above mentioned parts were also the least interesting to me, and luckily didn't take up much of the book.

In fact, really the major focus of the book was more about how man-made ecological and environmental changes have historically been to blame for making infectious diseases worse. The book is full of examples illustrating this. In some instances, these environmental changes have even been made with the best of intentions, yet have still had catastrophic results. And often, the results are unknown to the world at large because they affect the poorest of the world's people.

Unfortunately, this book was written in the 1980s, and things can change a lot in that amount of time...I really hope to follow up on some of these stories if I can. In fact, this book interested me so much, that I ended up picking up a book from the library titled Six Modern Plagues and How We Are Causing Them by Mark Jerome Walters.

On an unrelated note, Eva has mentioned in the past that science writers tend to have this compulsion to try to be funny, but often fall short. I think think you could place this scientist in that category, too. But honestly, his attempts at humor never really bothered me.

*****

If you have also reviewed this book, feel free to leave a link in the comments, and I'll add it here. Thanks.

*****

Read for:

The Non-Fiction Five Reading Challenge.