New Challenges to Health
The Threat of Virus Infection

Presents the latest discussions of the ecology of viruses and reviews the underlying mechanisms by which viruses cause disease.

G. L. Smith (Edited by), W. L. Irving (Edited by), J. W. McCauley (Edited by), D. J. Rowlands (Edited by)

9780521806145, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 19 April 2001

360 pages, 53 b/w illus. 8 colour illus. 23 tables
23.6 x 16.1 x 2.8 cm, 0.78 kg

'… an excellent reference for students and researchers alike and scores well on topicality, authoritativeness and accuracy …' P. Roy, Journal of Epidemiology

Viruses continually evolve and adapt, posing new threats to health. This book discusses the ecology of viruses with particular emphasis on the emergence of devastating haemorrhagic disease, and reviews the molecular and cell biological basis of the pathogenesis of several virus diseases. An introduction is given to the mathematical analysis of recurrent epidemic virus disease, such as measles. Neurological and psychological disease is discussed in relation to the pathological mechanisms that may underlie prion disease (such as new variant CJD) and to the possible virus involvement in human psychiatric illness. Virus infections that have come to prominence recently (HIV, bunyaviruses, morbilliviruses and caliciviruses) or that remain a threat (influenza and hepatitis viruses) are discussed. There are also chapters on new and potential niches for virus infections in the immunocompromised, and the problem of the emergence of antiviral drug resistance in viruses for which therapies exist.

Preface
1. The viruses in our past, the viruses in our future C. J. Peters
2. Dynamics and epidemiological impact of microparasites B. T. Grenfell
3. The continuing threat of bunyaviruses and hantaviruses R. M. Elliott
4. Calicivirus, myxoma virus and the wild rabbit in Australia: a tale of three invasions B. J. Richardson
5. Potential of influenza A viruses to cause pandemics A. J. Hay
6. The hepatitis viruses as emerging agents of infectious diseases S. M. Lemon
7. The emergence of human immunodeficiency viruses and AIDS R. A. Weiss and H. A. Weiss
8. Morbilliviruses: dangers old and new T. Barrett
9. Structure-function analysis of prion protein C. Weissmann, D. Shmerling, D. Rossi, A. Cozzio, I. Hegyi, M. Fischer, R. Leimeroth and E. Flechsig
10. Endogenous retroviruses and xenotransplantation J. P. Stoye
11. Gammaherpesviral infections and neoplasia in immunocompromised populations C. Boshoff
12. Structure and function of the proteins of Marburg and Ebola viruses H.-D. Klenk, H. Feldmann, V. E. Volchkov, V. A. Volchkova and W. Weissenhorn
13. Epidemic dengue/dengue haemorrhagic fever as a public health problem 1st century D. J. Gubler
14. Borna disease virus - a threat for human mental health? L. Bode and H. Ludwig
15. Antiviral drug development and the impact of drug resistance G. Darby
Index.

Subject Areas: Virology [non-medical PSGL], Microbiology [non-medical PSG]