Viruses: A Very Short Introduction, Third Edition

Course overview

Viruses are everywhere, and as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, cannot be ignored. From their discovery to the unraveling of their intricate structures, this Very Short Introduction provides a rounded and concise account of the nature of viruses, how they attack their hosts, and our efforts to control them. This new, updated edition examines the recent rise in emerging virus infections, especially coronaviruses, exploring why SARS-CoV-2 was able to spread rapidly and cause a pandemic. Dorothy H. Crawford, Emeritus Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Edinburgh and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, explores the recent revolution in vaccine technology and other preventive measures for the management of future dangerous viruses.