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Transcript
To Catch a Virus By John Booss and Marilyn J. August. ASM Press, Washington, DC. 2013; 392 pp. $39.95 (paperback). ISBN: 978-1-55581507-3. The title of this book, To Catch a Virus, refers to the capture and identification of viruses. It is a history of diagnostic virology inspired by Gueth-Djen (Edith) Hsiung, with whom both of the authors trained. John Booss, a retired neurologist, gathered much of the information for this book. Marilyn J. August, a retired clinical virologist and electron microscopist, is a science writer. The book is organized into 9 wellreferenced chapters, with an appendix outlining the timelines. Most chapters focus on a viral disease to provide some perspective for the developments in virology and related fields. Intermingled with the disease descriptions and technological advancements are numerous detailed personal histories of individuals whose research and sacrifice paved the way to our current knowledge of viruses. These personal accounts of success and failure, as well as interesting life details and connections, add flavor to a story that is so full of factual information. Each chapter begins with a short summary that some may find helpful, but the pause in the narrative detracts from the overall story. The interweaving of diseases, biographies, and scientific developments also produces some information overlap and duplication. The book contains a substantial number of photographs and illustrations that enhance the text. The first chapter begins with an account of the 1793 yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia. The leading physician of the time, Benjamin Rush, believed that the outbreak originated from noxious vapors emitted from putrid coffee dumped on the city docks. The descriptions of people fleeing the city and the 40 000 deaths that followed set the stage for the advancements in virology leading to the recogni- 1792 • CID 2013:57 (15 December) • tion of yellow fever as the first disease caused by a filterable virus. The rest of the chapter is an overview of germ theory, Koch’s postulates, and the beginnings of virology. The chapter concludes with the contributions of Walter Reed and the Yellow Fever Commission. James Carroll, who performed the filterable virus experiments, volunteered to be bitten by infected mosquitoes. He became gravely ill but survived, only to die 7 years later of myocarditis attributed to yellow fever. Chapter 2 centers around rabies, describing Pasteur’s experiments with the disease, which led to postexposure vaccine prophylaxis. It is noted his interest in rabies stemmed from a childhood memory of a rabid wolf attack on his village of Arbois, France. The chapter expands to other animal experiments with polio, yellow fever, and influenza. Finally, the use of embryonated chicken eggs for viral growth is documented, with the highlight being the use of eggs for influenza growth by Sir MacFarlane Burnet. Chapter 3 uses smallpox as a springboard for a discussion of the milestones in the understanding of the immune system. Included are Cotton Mather’s variolation practice, which he learned from his African slave, Onesimus. It was first used successfully in the 1729–1730 smallpox outbreak in Boston and later to inoculate the Continental Army by order of George Washington. Edward Jenner’s use of cowpox for vaccination eliminated the risk of contracting smallpox from vaccination, and his findings were published in 1798. The chapter concludes with the development of various tests for viral diagnosis. Chapter 4 discusses viral inclusions, such as Negri bodies, and follows the advances in microscope design and staining techniques, culminating in the electron microscope’s visual appreciation of viral structure. Chapter 5 covers the tissue culture cytopathogenic effect, which led to the establishment of the first diagnostic virology BOOK REVIEWS laboratories. President Franklin Roosevelt’s experience with polio and his personal role in funding research is noted. Interestingly, no diagnostic virological studies were ever performed on FDR, leaving some to question his diagnosis. Chapter 6 chronicles the use of tissue culture to discover new viruses and the expansion of viral diagnostic laboratories and courses of study. Chapter 7 is devoted to the further development of the electron microscope and the techniques of fluorescent antibodies and radioimmunoassays. Chapter 8 tells the story of the discovery of the various types of viral hepatitis and newer immunological methods. The final chapter concerns human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the pivotal role of molecular techniques in diagnostic virology. Of Kary Mullis, the developer of the polymerase chain reaction, the authors remark that the paper documenting his discovery was rejected by the journals Nature and Science. In summary, the authors have chronicled the history of diagnostic virology and how virologists have met the challenges of viral diseases, from smallpox to HIV. The book will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in microbiology or infectious diseases, and all readers will learn something new. Note Potential conflicts of interest. Author certifies no potential conflicts of interest. The author has submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed. H. Bradford Hawley Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio Clinical Infectious Diseases 2013;57(12):1792 © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals. [email protected]. DOI: 10.1093/cid/cit633