SARS: A Case Study in Emerging Infections. By Angela R McLean, Robert M May, John Pattison, and , Robin A Weiss. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. $132.00 (hardcover); $50.00 (paper). ix + 133 p; ill.; index. ISBN: 0‐19‐856818‐5 (hc); 0‐19‐856819‐3 (pb). [Originating from a Royal Society Discussion Meeting first published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.]

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Previous articleNext article FreeSARS: A Case Study in Emerging Infections. By Angela R McLean, Robert M May, John Pattison, and , Robin A Weiss. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. $132.00 (hardcover); $50.00 (paper). ix + 133 p; ill.; index. ISBN: 0‐19‐856818‐5 (hc); 0‐19‐856819‐3 (pb). [Originating from a Royal Society Discussion Meeting first published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.] 2005.Deborah R TaylorDeborah R TaylorLaboratory of Hepatitis & Related Emerging Agents, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland Search for more articles by this author Laboratory of Hepatitis & Related Emerging Agents, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Bethesda, MarylandPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreSARS coronavirus emerged on the world scene in 2003 when China reported the deaths of 100 patients infected with an atypical pneumonia. The infections probably began in late 2002, and by July of 2003, had spread throughout the world. For years, virologists and epidemiologists have warned that a potent influenza strain may arise and cause a catastrophic epidemic. The SARS epidemic may have been a test for world health preparedness and serves as a lesson in successful public health control. This book describes the events that occurred during the outbreak and the public health actions that were taken to control the virus. Chapters are written by expert authors, including virologists, population geneticists, epidemiologists, those involved in public health policy, and mental health professionals.Virology topics covered include the management of the epidemic in China and Hong Kong, laboratory diagnosis, virus etiology, and animal origins of the SARS coronavirus. The authors use influenza as a model system to study viruses that originate in other animal species. Two chapters discuss the evolution of SARS, and how SARS coronavirus probably entered the human population through small carnivores sold as bushmeat in wildlife markets. The authors take a more global view and describe how this meat may originate from animals obtained in neighboring countries. They make a convincing case for widening the search for the natural animal reservoir. Three chapters provide insight into the epidemiology of emerging infections and use both SARS and influenza as examples. Other well‐written chapters include coverage of the international response and the toll it took on healthcare workers who confronted infected patients. The many black‐and‐white figures, graphs, and tables are useful and informative.Rather than simply a review of the current literature on SARS, the authors tackle perplexing topics, such as super‐spreader events. They also interject thoughtful comparisons with other infectious agents, and observe the need for ecological conservation in preventing future outbreaks of zoonotic disease. One chapter makes this clear by explaining that ecological shifts in Asia favor the emergence of new zoonotic infections, which should result in an interdisciplinary collaboration between conservation biologists and experts with knowledge of potential host species.In summary, this volume will be useful to virologists and epidemiologists interested in SARS or any emerging infectious disease. The book will be invaluable for anyone who wants to know how an early 21st‐century zoonotic pandemic was controlled through public health measures. It is exemplified by its readability and can be used as a guide for epidemic preparedness, as reference source for anyone interested in SARS biology and history, or as leisure reading. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Quarterly Review of Biology Volume 82, Number 2June 2007Contents Published in association with Stony Brook University Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/519663 Views: 354Total views on this site PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.