Synopses & Reviews
They're everywhere. Silent and invisible to the naked eye, they're on everything we touch, eat, breathe -- on every single inch of our skin. And despite the remarkable advances of science, germs are challenging medicine in ways that were unimaginable just a decade ago. Due to an explosion of infections never before reported in modern history and a new germ horror story surfacing every week, it's no small wonder that we're frightened -- and that antibacterial soaps are a billion-dollar business. Now, renowned microbiologist Philip Tierno cuts through the media hype with the compulsively readable Secret Life of Germs, revealing exactly where the greatest threats may be hiding. The Secret Life of Germs provides an inside view of this fascinating and elegantly ordered microscopic world -- from the common cold, E. coli, and Lyme disease to encephalitis, mad cow disease, and anthrax. It takes readers on a historical survey of the culprits of disease and explores the effect that they -- and the scientists who study them -- have had on our world. Rising above the common scare-tactic techniques used by many authors, Dr. Tierno's message is an optimistic one. Recognizing that humans are more often than not the main spreaders of disease, he offers numerous protective response strategies -- health and hygiene tips for inside and outside the home, advice on food safety, and pointers on human contact -- to stop the transmittal. Filled with practical and enlightening information, The Secret Life of Germs is an engaging book that will keep readers mesmerized while helping them stay healthy.
Synopsis
They're on everything we touch, eat, and breathe in -- on every inch of skin. And despite the advances of science, germs are challenging medicine in ways that were unimaginable ten years ago. No wonder the world is up in arms -- and using antibacterial soaps.
From the common cold, E. coli, and Lyme disease to encephalitis, mad cow disease, and flesh-eating bacteria, Tierno takes readers on a historical survey of the microscopic world. Rebuffing scare tactics behind recent "germ events" Tierno explains how the recycling of matter is the key to life. Yes, he'll tell you why it's a good idea to clean children's toys, why those fluffy towels may not be so clean, and why you never want to buy a second-hand mattress, but he also reveals that there is a lot we can do to prevent germ-induced suffering. You'll never look at anything the same way again.
About the Author
Internationally known as the man who helped solve the mystery behind toxic shock syndrome, Philip M. Tierno Jr., Ph.D., is the director of clinical microbiology and diagnostic immunology at New York University Medical Center and Mt. Sinai Medical Center and a part-time associate professor in the departments of microbiology and pathology at New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Tierno has published numerous papers on microbial ecology and environmental and medical microbiology in leading scientific and medical journals worldwide and has appeared on many national shows such as 20/20, Oprah, Dateline NBC, and PrimeTime. Dr. Tierno lives in New York City.
Table of Contents
Contents
Acknowledgments
Part I
The Animalcules
1 Seeds of Disease, Seeds of Life
2 How We Make Each Other Sick
3 The Germ Domain
4 The Germ Factory
5 The Enemy Within
Part II
The Seeds of Disease
6 Person to Person 7 Common Ground 8 In Thin Air 9 On the Wing and on Eight Little Legs
Part III
The New Age
10 Not the Usual Suspects 11 The Germ Revolt 12 Germ Warfare and Terrorism 13 Germs for Life
Index