Viral Pandemics: Smallpox to COVID-19 & Mpox

The increasing emergence of novel viruses, combined with intensifying global interconnectedness, has created an escalating spiral of viral disease, which is illuminated in the new edition of Viral Pandemics. The book begins with an introduction to the key characteristics of viral pathogens that make them so dangerous, followed by a comprehensive survey of epidemic viral diseases from 1900 to the present.

New chapters on COVID-19 and mpox have been added to the book, which uses a historical narrative to trace the path of each virus from its original detection to its emergence as an explosive pandemic. This approach allows readers to understand the biologic potential of the virus, the dynamics of epidemic disease spread, and the capabilities of medicine and science to combat the pathogen effectively.

Furthermore, the book explores the elements of connectedness that enable a localized disease outbreak to transform into a global pandemic. By highlighting the critical role of human activity in global disease, readers can gain a deeper appreciation of the interconnected nature of viral pandemics.

In the final two chapters, the authors take a different approach. "A Look Back" critically evaluates the response to COVID-19 in comparison to the history of public health efforts in response to other modern global pandemics, identifying lessons that can improve future pandemic responses. "A Way Forward" integrates biologic and environmental factors critical in analyzing all pandemics in the book, proposing ways to break the cycle of viral pandemic disease escalation.

Written in a straightforward and accessible style, this book is ideal for students of public health, the history of medicine, medical anthropology, and general readers interested in understanding how viral pandemics have shaped, and continue to shape, millions of lives.

product information: