First published in Norwegian as Kampen mellom mennesket og mikrobene in 2020. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
Prologue: the invisible enemy -- The duellists -- The third factor: ecology and the environment -- A bird's-eye view of the history of human infection -- Major epidemics and pandemics: examples from history -- Mysterious epidemics in history -- The contribution made by epidemics to the fall of empires -- New infections, new challenges -- When microbes are used as weapons -- Homo sapiens strikes back -- New challenges from the microbes -- and possible countermeasures -- Epilogue: the never-ending duel.
Summary:
"From the bubonic plague to theoretical pathogens on other worlds, a sweeping look at the past, present, and future of mass infections-and how we battle them. In this panoramic and up-to-date account, we learn how the Black Death, smallpox, the 1918 influenza pandemic, and other great epidemics have not only led to enormous suffering and mass death but have also contributed to the fall of empires and changed the course of history. We also discover how new infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 emerge-and how we wage war against them. Humanity has struck back at the microbes: antibiotics and new vaccines have saved millions of lives. But the battle with these relentless, silent enemies is far from won. We face increasing threats from new and unavoidable pandemics, antibiotic resistance, and even potential extraterrestrial microbes. Duel Without End is a fascinating journey through the long history of infection, from the dawn of life to humanity's future exploration of deep space"--Publisher's description.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.