Viruses Vs. Superbugs: A Solution to the Antibiotics Crisis? (Macmillan Science) - Hardcover

Häusler, T.; Loparo, Kenneth A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1403987645 ISBN 13: 9781403987648

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006

Synopsis

Each year thousands of people die from bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Alternative drugs are urgently needed. A surprising ray of hope from the past are viruses that kill bacteria, but not us. Award-winning science journalist Thomas Häusler investigates how these long-forgotten cures may help sick people today.

About this title

Book Description:

In the U.S. alone some 90,000 people die from superbugs--bacteria that have grown immune to antibiotics. Officials agree that this problem will only get worse with time and new drugs must be found. One hope is bacteriophages, or "Phages"--viruses that kill bacteria but not humans. Discovered in 1915, phage therapy was successfully used against infections for twenty years before the invention of penicillin made them obsolete everywhere but Eastern Europe, where they are still in use today. In its first English translation, this book tells the fascinating story of the discovery and development of phages and details the strides being made to bring the therapy back to the West today.

About the Author:

THOMAS HÄUSLER is Chief Science Editor of the Swiss news magazine, Facts. He has won several awards for his journalistic work, including one for an article about phage therapy in the world-renowned German weekly Die Zeit.

About this edition

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1403987645
• ISBN 13: 9781403987648
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 312