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The Secret Life of Germs: What They Are, Why We Need Them, and How We Can Protect Ourselves Against Them
They're on everything we touch, eat, and breathe in -- on every inch of skin. And despite the advances of science, germs are challenging medicine in ways that were unimaginable ten years ago. No wonder the world is up in arms -- and using antibacterial soaps.
From the common cold, E. coli, and Lyme disease to encephalitis, mad cow disease, and flesh-eating bacteria, Tierno takes readers on a historical survey of the microscopic world. Rebuffing scare tactics behind recent "germ events" Tierno explains how the recycling of matter is the key to life. Yes, he'll tell you why it's a good idea to clean children's toys, why those fluffy towels may not be so clean, and why you never want to buy a second-hand mattress, but he also reveals that there is a lot we can do to prevent germ-induced suffering. You'll never look at anything the same way again.
From the common cold, E. coli, and Lyme disease to encephalitis, mad cow disease, and flesh-eating bacteria, Tierno takes readers on a historical survey of the microscopic world. Rebuffing scare tactics behind recent "germ events" Tierno explains how the recycling of matter is the key to life. Yes, he'll tell you why it's a good idea to clean children's toys, why those fluffy towels may not be so clean, and why you never want to buy a second-hand mattress, but he also reveals that there is a lot we can do to prevent germ-induced suffering. You'll never look at anything the same way again.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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406 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
October 10, 2017
I chose to read The Secret Life of Germs because I have often heard the author on CBC radio, brought in as an expert on microbial issues. It was published back in 2001, so some of the information it contains is out-of-date, though it was cutting edge at the time.
There is still plenty of good info in this volume. If nothing else, the author’s attention to prevention of disease was an excellent reminder as the cold & flu season approaches. I’m washing my hands more often and for longer than I had been—its so easy to get lazy about this! And handwashing goes so far towards keeping us healthy.
If I have any quibbles, it is with referring to all microbes as “germs.” To me, a germ is a disease causing agent, not a benign or helpful microbe. But I am sure that this title caught a bit more attention through using “germs” in the title than it might otherwise have garnered.
If you are interested in microbiology, may I recommend I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life, which offers more recent information, also in an easy to read format.
There is still plenty of good info in this volume. If nothing else, the author’s attention to prevention of disease was an excellent reminder as the cold & flu season approaches. I’m washing my hands more often and for longer than I had been—its so easy to get lazy about this! And handwashing goes so far towards keeping us healthy.
If I have any quibbles, it is with referring to all microbes as “germs.” To me, a germ is a disease causing agent, not a benign or helpful microbe. But I am sure that this title caught a bit more attention through using “germs” in the title than it might otherwise have garnered.
If you are interested in microbiology, may I recommend I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life, which offers more recent information, also in an easy to read format.
January 7, 2023
I started re-reading this book because of all the outrageous things being said about CoVID-19. Sadly, it's NOT better the second time around. The author has written new essays on CoVID that go against the common sense of some things written in this book. The reason that viruses and bacteria mutate is for their survival. If a microbe cannot find a suitable host, then both the parasite and its victim die.
The author needed to include concepts like Respiratory Acidosis and its effects on CO2 dependant bacteria. The problem with masks is that they often create an acid-base imbalance in the respiratory system that increases the amount of partial Carbon dioxide in the body's Arterial Blood Gases over time this increases the number of respirations to compensate for the decrease in readily available Oxygen. This action results in altering breathing. It also decreases the body's pH creating a more acidic environment which causes lactic acidosis in the muscle tissues. The Hydrogen ions stay in the spaces between the Actin and Myosin fibers of the muscle tissue which prevents muscle contractions. The reason Calcium is so important is that it works in many different systems to facilitate necessary actions. The muscles need Calcium to facilitate the interaction between Actin and Myosin so that you have the appropriate muscle contractions. Calcium is an important coagulation factor to prevent internal and external hemorrhaging. Vitamin D which can be created by sunlight helps the body to use Calcium more efficiently and effectively.
I enjoyed the section in which he discussed Tissue Necrosis Factor which helps to destroy clots, cancerous tumor cells, etc. within the body. The problem is he needed to include more information on D-dimer protein fragments within the explanation to help explain coagulopathies that can occur during bacterial or viral infection.
He should have included more information on nutrition to help the body's immune system cope with infection. This information will help people suffering from a disease process by creating strong antibodies that can destroy the antigens without harming the surrounding cells, tissues, organs, and systems.
He also needed to add the correlation between a basic infection and secondary infections from other organisms. A person that has a Strep Throat infection can be infected with a cold virus very easily and both create enough of a problem that results in pneumonia and can eventually result in death.
While this is a book for non-Scientists the scientific concepts can be boiled down to help laymen understand the physiological responses to disease. The author did include some very helpful Personal Protective Responses but he should have included more pictures to help SHOW how to perform the steps so that even politicians could understand the steps.
The biggest problem was the typos, burying important information in later chapters and creating false abbreviations like VISA, instead of the more accurate and medical community approved VRSA (Vancomycin Resistant Staph. Aureus).
The author needed to include concepts like Respiratory Acidosis and its effects on CO2 dependant bacteria. The problem with masks is that they often create an acid-base imbalance in the respiratory system that increases the amount of partial Carbon dioxide in the body's Arterial Blood Gases over time this increases the number of respirations to compensate for the decrease in readily available Oxygen. This action results in altering breathing. It also decreases the body's pH creating a more acidic environment which causes lactic acidosis in the muscle tissues. The Hydrogen ions stay in the spaces between the Actin and Myosin fibers of the muscle tissue which prevents muscle contractions. The reason Calcium is so important is that it works in many different systems to facilitate necessary actions. The muscles need Calcium to facilitate the interaction between Actin and Myosin so that you have the appropriate muscle contractions. Calcium is an important coagulation factor to prevent internal and external hemorrhaging. Vitamin D which can be created by sunlight helps the body to use Calcium more efficiently and effectively.
I enjoyed the section in which he discussed Tissue Necrosis Factor which helps to destroy clots, cancerous tumor cells, etc. within the body. The problem is he needed to include more information on D-dimer protein fragments within the explanation to help explain coagulopathies that can occur during bacterial or viral infection.
He should have included more information on nutrition to help the body's immune system cope with infection. This information will help people suffering from a disease process by creating strong antibodies that can destroy the antigens without harming the surrounding cells, tissues, organs, and systems.
He also needed to add the correlation between a basic infection and secondary infections from other organisms. A person that has a Strep Throat infection can be infected with a cold virus very easily and both create enough of a problem that results in pneumonia and can eventually result in death.
While this is a book for non-Scientists the scientific concepts can be boiled down to help laymen understand the physiological responses to disease. The author did include some very helpful Personal Protective Responses but he should have included more pictures to help SHOW how to perform the steps so that even politicians could understand the steps.
The biggest problem was the typos, burying important information in later chapters and creating false abbreviations like VISA, instead of the more accurate and medical community approved VRSA (Vancomycin Resistant Staph. Aureus).
September 9, 2010
There were a few helpful nuggets in this book about hygiene and science behind it, but moreover I was turned off by his too simplistic approach (writing like we're not smart enough to understand scientific stuff) and offensive opinions (blaming poor hygiene in the US on recent waves of immigration).
Read Jessica Snyder Sach's book (Good Germs, Bad Germs) to avoid the conflicting information in this one (like not sterilizing everything in your house due to germ resistance, but then suggesting triclosan-laden toothpaste).
Read Jessica Snyder Sach's book (Good Germs, Bad Germs) to avoid the conflicting information in this one (like not sterilizing everything in your house due to germ resistance, but then suggesting triclosan-laden toothpaste).
January 28, 2008
We are walking meat sacks filled with germs. While we live, the germs keep us alive (mostly). When we die, they eat us. Another fun book for air travel. PUT THE TOILET SEAT COVER DOWN WHEN YOU FLUSH.
August 25, 2014
One Word:
WOW
WOW
May 1, 2009
The way people panic over SARS and Swine Flu, this book ought to be a bestseller. Where else will you find step-by-step instructions for proper handwashing (in case you never bothered before)? Actually, the book is very good, an easy read, and filled with useful information, not only on various diseases and some great medical/scientific history, but also with little sidebar tips added here and there about ways to protect yourself from bad germs and to take advantage of good germs. The author is world-class scientist and researcher in his own right, famous for his part "curing" Toxic Shock Syndrome. That is one of many great adventure stories about doctors addressing everything from Legionairres' Disease, to TSS, to flesh-eating bacteria and others.
Oh, and *spoiler alert* (wash hands with soap, lots of bubbles, at least 20 seconds in the water, and use paper towels to touch the faucet and door on the way out--if no trashcan by the door, drop the towel on the floor and someone will get the message.)
Oh, and *spoiler alert* (wash hands with soap, lots of bubbles, at least 20 seconds in the water, and use paper towels to touch the faucet and door on the way out--if no trashcan by the door, drop the towel on the floor and someone will get the message.)
December 4, 2008
I'm someone who didn't take a book out of the library for about 18 years because -- OK, I'll admit it -- I was afraid of germs. Turns out I had every reason to be fearful! Now a budget-conscious mother, I make do with fanatical alcohol sterilization before I bring my kid's books into bed at night. The mantra: wash your hands! remains especially meaningful after this read. Appears that germs are smarter than we are, with great adaptive skills. There are good germs and bad germs, and everywhere, there are germs. Dr. Tierno forecasts that more and more diseases will be found to have bacterial or viral causes, as was the case with the common ulcer. He covers bio-terrorism possibilities as well as causes of the typical UTI. Posits that cancer may well have a "contagious" element. And now I know that smallpox has killed more than all wars combined.
One last comment: wash your hands. Now.
One last comment: wash your hands. Now.
September 1, 2019
A readable, fact-packed manual for germophobes
Germophobes unite! If you're the type of person (as I am) who washes his or her hands several times a day, usually the first thing I do when I get home, avoids putting fingers to mouth or nose, doesn't touch doorknobs if they can be avoided, flushes public toilets with the sole of your shoe-covered foot, etc., etc., then this is a book to further your phobia. You will be justified. Prof Tierno, who has impressive academic credentials and a claim to fame as "the man who helped solve the mystery behind toxic shock syndrome" sounds a very stringent warning here about the dangers of the wrong microbes in the wrong places. He is, I must report, a bit of a germophobe himself, but a learned one. He sprinkles his text with what he calls "Protective Response Strategies" to help us maneuver our way through the microbial jungle that lives in, on and all around us. The first response strategy is on "How to wash your hands."
I've always had a small problem with that. Not at home, where the germs are MY germs, but in public places, especially restrooms. Is it better to just go in, relieve yourself, and exit, being careful not to touch the door handle, or any surface someone else may have touched? (Where there's a handle to pull open the door, I try to grab it with one finger at the very top, thinking nobody else is likely to have grabbed it there.) Or should I stop to wash? But if I stop to "wash" that means I have to touch the faucet, but how can I not touch it last, which may be worse than not washing at all? Tierno has the answer: turn the water off with a paper towel in your hand. Another problem is how to get that paper towel into the trash cylinder without touching the spring-loaded opening. Sometimes what I do is push it open with the towel in my hand and try to drop the towel before it springs shut. Usually it lands on the floor. I used to feel bad about that, but Tierno has a suggestion for places that don't have waste receptacles that has made me feel better: "Drop the towel on the floor. If enough people do so, there will soon be a receptacle there, as there should be." (p. 29)
Another problem with washing one's hands is dry skin. Have you even looked at a surgeon's hands? I've looked at couple, and they are red and raw from all that washing. They look like they've been worn so thin that the blood is about to pop out.
"Germs" in Tierno's usage are microbes, viruses, bacteria, protozoa, yeast, molds, etc. He gives a wealth of information about many of them, how they spread, how they cause disease, and what we can do about lessening our chance of catching something horrible. He addresses various health issues, and traces the now global spread of disease, from AIDs to Ebola to Legionnaires, to the new threat from tuberculosis and weapons grade anthrax, to rhinoviruses ("nose viruses"), which cause colds, and hantaviruses, which can kill you, and beyond. An interesting (and unsettling) point he makes is that some germs, like the ubiquitous Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus, which usually lives peacefully on our skin, can become lethal if they get to the wrong place in the body. Also there is the very unsettling possibility that a germ may mutate from one that our immune system has in control to one that kills us.
Well, germs are not going anywhere. They were here long before we were, and they'll surely be here long after we are gone. We need to make our peace with them, learn to live with them (multicellular life would be impossible without microbes to break down dead tissue, to produce oxygen, to serve as the base of the food chain, etc.) and reduce their noxious effects. Tierno's book may not make you feel any easier about the invisible little devils that make up perhaps the majority of the biomass on the planet (most of it underground, it now appears), but it will make you feel more knowledgeable, and you will perhaps gain a grudging respect for their amazing abilities.
By the way, a gram of human fecal matter contains about one trillion microbes. A gram of matter from the surface of our teeth contains about one hundred billion microbes. And that sweet saliva we used to exchange when we were young, despite being a good digestive fluid, contains about one hundred million microbes per milliliter. (p. 46)
Finally I want to note that Tierno has solved (for me at least) a very strange mystery that has been making news lately. Childhood asthma rates in the US have increased greatly in recent years, while some authorities have noted that rates in the Third World are lower than rates in the United States. (pp. 166-167) How can this be? Tierno writes, "One reason that childhood asthma rates seem to be lower in the Third World is very likely the fact that several million Third World children a year die at very early ages..." He adds, "...many Third World children simply don't live long enough to be recorded as having asthma..." (p. 167). Additionally, he notes on page 168, "If we are looking for an explanation for the 158 percent increase in asthma in the United States over the past two decades, we might reasonably begin by noticing that the same period has seen a large increase in the number of people living in poverty, thanks to big increases in immigration."
One more thing: There was a Seinfeld TV episode in which Elaine's on-again, off-again boyfriend, Puddy, is a member of a fictional (I think) organization called "Germophobes Anonymous." If it had a manual, Prof. Tierno's very readable, but rather disquieting book would serve very well indeed.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
Germophobes unite! If you're the type of person (as I am) who washes his or her hands several times a day, usually the first thing I do when I get home, avoids putting fingers to mouth or nose, doesn't touch doorknobs if they can be avoided, flushes public toilets with the sole of your shoe-covered foot, etc., etc., then this is a book to further your phobia. You will be justified. Prof Tierno, who has impressive academic credentials and a claim to fame as "the man who helped solve the mystery behind toxic shock syndrome" sounds a very stringent warning here about the dangers of the wrong microbes in the wrong places. He is, I must report, a bit of a germophobe himself, but a learned one. He sprinkles his text with what he calls "Protective Response Strategies" to help us maneuver our way through the microbial jungle that lives in, on and all around us. The first response strategy is on "How to wash your hands."
I've always had a small problem with that. Not at home, where the germs are MY germs, but in public places, especially restrooms. Is it better to just go in, relieve yourself, and exit, being careful not to touch the door handle, or any surface someone else may have touched? (Where there's a handle to pull open the door, I try to grab it with one finger at the very top, thinking nobody else is likely to have grabbed it there.) Or should I stop to wash? But if I stop to "wash" that means I have to touch the faucet, but how can I not touch it last, which may be worse than not washing at all? Tierno has the answer: turn the water off with a paper towel in your hand. Another problem is how to get that paper towel into the trash cylinder without touching the spring-loaded opening. Sometimes what I do is push it open with the towel in my hand and try to drop the towel before it springs shut. Usually it lands on the floor. I used to feel bad about that, but Tierno has a suggestion for places that don't have waste receptacles that has made me feel better: "Drop the towel on the floor. If enough people do so, there will soon be a receptacle there, as there should be." (p. 29)
Another problem with washing one's hands is dry skin. Have you even looked at a surgeon's hands? I've looked at couple, and they are red and raw from all that washing. They look like they've been worn so thin that the blood is about to pop out.
"Germs" in Tierno's usage are microbes, viruses, bacteria, protozoa, yeast, molds, etc. He gives a wealth of information about many of them, how they spread, how they cause disease, and what we can do about lessening our chance of catching something horrible. He addresses various health issues, and traces the now global spread of disease, from AIDs to Ebola to Legionnaires, to the new threat from tuberculosis and weapons grade anthrax, to rhinoviruses ("nose viruses"), which cause colds, and hantaviruses, which can kill you, and beyond. An interesting (and unsettling) point he makes is that some germs, like the ubiquitous Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus, which usually lives peacefully on our skin, can become lethal if they get to the wrong place in the body. Also there is the very unsettling possibility that a germ may mutate from one that our immune system has in control to one that kills us.
Well, germs are not going anywhere. They were here long before we were, and they'll surely be here long after we are gone. We need to make our peace with them, learn to live with them (multicellular life would be impossible without microbes to break down dead tissue, to produce oxygen, to serve as the base of the food chain, etc.) and reduce their noxious effects. Tierno's book may not make you feel any easier about the invisible little devils that make up perhaps the majority of the biomass on the planet (most of it underground, it now appears), but it will make you feel more knowledgeable, and you will perhaps gain a grudging respect for their amazing abilities.
By the way, a gram of human fecal matter contains about one trillion microbes. A gram of matter from the surface of our teeth contains about one hundred billion microbes. And that sweet saliva we used to exchange when we were young, despite being a good digestive fluid, contains about one hundred million microbes per milliliter. (p. 46)
Finally I want to note that Tierno has solved (for me at least) a very strange mystery that has been making news lately. Childhood asthma rates in the US have increased greatly in recent years, while some authorities have noted that rates in the Third World are lower than rates in the United States. (pp. 166-167) How can this be? Tierno writes, "One reason that childhood asthma rates seem to be lower in the Third World is very likely the fact that several million Third World children a year die at very early ages..." He adds, "...many Third World children simply don't live long enough to be recorded as having asthma..." (p. 167). Additionally, he notes on page 168, "If we are looking for an explanation for the 158 percent increase in asthma in the United States over the past two decades, we might reasonably begin by noticing that the same period has seen a large increase in the number of people living in poverty, thanks to big increases in immigration."
One more thing: There was a Seinfeld TV episode in which Elaine's on-again, off-again boyfriend, Puddy, is a member of a fictional (I think) organization called "Germophobes Anonymous." If it had a manual, Prof. Tierno's very readable, but rather disquieting book would serve very well indeed.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
January 15, 2017
The author should have been employed by the Soap Manufacturers' Association. WASH YOUR HANDS.
There is a lot of information packed into this book, which alternates among a disease catalog, a hygiene manual, and a mystery novel. Perhaps a bit alarmist, but I'm not the germ hunter, so I bow to the author's expertise and feel suitably uncomfortable about all that is going on on my mouth, skin and digestive system. Having personally experienced what the author warns about when an antibiotic kills the germ it intends and also a whole bunch of others, causing new disease, it all feels very real and scary.
WASH YOUR HANDS!
There is a lot of information packed into this book, which alternates among a disease catalog, a hygiene manual, and a mystery novel. Perhaps a bit alarmist, but I'm not the germ hunter, so I bow to the author's expertise and feel suitably uncomfortable about all that is going on on my mouth, skin and digestive system. Having personally experienced what the author warns about when an antibiotic kills the germ it intends and also a whole bunch of others, causing new disease, it all feels very real and scary.
WASH YOUR HANDS!
Want to read
December 3, 2010A perfect layperson's guide to understanding microbes, how we effect them, how they affect us, and basic microbiology concepts. The first couple of chapters focus on microbiology 101, which I still find interesting. However, it is the information after that is what I find fascinating. The author walks the reader through a day in the life of a family from when they wake up, and at each moment of interaction with germs, he provides insightful information and advice on how to protect oneself from disease.
July 8, 2009
I read this book some years ago, but remembered doing so only recently. It was an informative book, but it tends toward unnecessary alarmism. If everything in the book were to be taken to heart, the reader would be afraid to venture out in public or indeed to share living arrangements with family members.
The part about laundering your unmentionables separately in their own private batch, though? Probably a good idea!!
The part about laundering your unmentionables separately in their own private batch, though? Probably a good idea!!
August 14, 2008
I didn't learn much from this book that I didn't already know, but I was interested in the fact that the author really espouses washing hands frequently...something we don't always hear about anymore. Overall, this is a good introduction to harmful bacteria and the diseases they cause. I also appreciated the fact that the author was not an alarmist.
Read
February 11, 2018Really good exposition on microbiology and pathology. Even better, the author provides what he calls Protective Response Plans, which are essentially protocol to follow to avoid unhealthy bacterium in your home and workplace.
I've sprayed Lysol on everything I own, though. Not a good side effect for a book.
I've sprayed Lysol on everything I own, though. Not a good side effect for a book.
December 26, 2007
I loved this book, but as those who know me would tell you, I might be a little too obsessed with germs and cleaning. However, that aside, it really is a very interesting book on many levels, but if you are easily disturbed you might want to keep looking.
June 29, 2012
An enticing overview of the enormously complex world of microbiology, written in a very accessible way. It left me with more questions than answers, however, but I guess that is a good thing. I find myself wanting to read a newer treatment of this subject as the material seemed rather dated.
August 24, 2019
It's such an amazing read! Very informative and things that we should all know to help us live a healthy, paranoid free life. Just some simple steps to protect ourselves from illnesses and becoming more hygienic!
January 28, 2009
Quite a fascinating book - in fact, I read it in a day. The only downside to reading this is that I became a bit hyper-aware of germs for awhile after reading the book.
August 12, 2018
Fascinating history, prophecy, and everyday application in living with germs in the environment. A must-read.
May 18, 2020
Although nearly two decades is a long time in science, the information in Dr. Tierno's text (published in 2001) is especially relevant at this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on his decades of work as a professional researcher in microbiology and immunology (he was director of those research fields at NYU's Medical Center), Dr. Tierno explains in insightful yet quite readable detail the meaning of the book's title: What germs are, why they are necessary, and how to protect ourselves from ones that may harm us. Along the way, he reveals the interdependence of human life and this microbial world that we inhabit (and that inhabits us - our digestive tract from end to end is a world of alien DNA - the bacteria that helps keep us alive), how scientific fact has replaced ignorance regarding disease, how our own human behavioral weaknesses and ignorance (overuse of antibiotics) has brought new viral germs to trouble us (HIV, Ebola, West Nile, and Sars), fueled the rise of antibiotic resistance among some of the more dangerous germs, and, in each chapter, what steps each person can take to help prevent infection and illness. For a layman, this book was revelatory and far from dry. And, as we have heard during this latest pandemic to afflict our species, the single best defense for us all is what we still, as a species, don't do near enough of - simply washing our hands. This is informative, quite educational, and well worth the reader's time.
January 23, 2022
Although dated, it still covers much of the basics..The author has a clear bias and was very pro evolution, which irks me, as it always seems to direct everything towards certain agendas. I feel he would state something, but then not address the other side of the argument.
January 9, 2009
What I learned from this book...and unthinkingly shared with my very conservative in-laws...in regards to germs--you are better off eating human feces than french kissing another person.
An enlightening read but a bit on the Mr. Clean side, meaning it could turn you into a germophobe, afraid of going anywhere or touching anything!
My advice; eat some dirt & you'll be fine. Oh yeah, and use hot water & soap to be squeaky clean.
An enlightening read but a bit on the Mr. Clean side, meaning it could turn you into a germophobe, afraid of going anywhere or touching anything!
My advice; eat some dirt & you'll be fine. Oh yeah, and use hot water & soap to be squeaky clean.
October 7, 2010
Freaked out after I read this book. Not a germaphobe but could be now! Cleaning with Vinegar, baking soda, lemon on everything. Please remember to wash your hands.
May 12, 2008
How germs are now a global issue. Many helpful hints about cleanliness. Do you do the 20 second hand wash?
June 4, 2008
Learn the truth about how dirty our lives are. Not for the faint of heart :)
September 14, 2008
This book comes highly recommended. Something to consider in the life of a teacher.
December 17, 2008
If you have a background in studying germs/microbes it will seem a little dry. If not then it should be very interesting.
May 15, 2014
Amazing.
Read
October 8, 2009Separate fact from fiction, esp prepare for the flu season
July 23, 2010
a little on the dry side
October 9, 2010
A Christmas gift years ago, it was a great and highly informative read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews