Modern Epidemics: From the Spanish Flu to COVID-19

by Salvador Macip, Julie Wark (Translator)

COVID-19 has made us all aware of the fact that we live in a world full of invisible enemies. Normally, we don't even realize they're there, but from time to time one of these microscopic creatures becomes powerful enough to turn everything upside down. What are these invisible enemies, and how can we prepare ourselves for the pandemics of the future?

A specialist in the cellular biology of diseases, Salvador Macip explains, in a language everyone can understand, what it means to share the planet with millions of microbes - some wonderful allies, others terrible foes. He provides a concise account of epidemics that changed history, and focuses on the great modern plagues that are still causing millions of deaths every year, from influenza, TB and malaria to COVID-19. Macip also examines the methods we have used - from vaccines to improved sanitation and social distancing - to try to control these invisible enemies.

This authoritative overview of modern epidemics and the pathogens that cause them will be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand our world today, a world in which some of the greatest threats to the human species come from the invisible microbes with which we share this planet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Health, Medicine

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Salvador Macip, MD, is a doctor, researcher and writer who has been working in the field of oncological research since 1998. He spent almost ten years in New York. He is presently senior lecturer in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom where he leads a research group on cancer and aging. He is living with his wife and son. He has published novels, stories, reportage, popular science and children's books.

He is a member of the Association of Catalan Language Writers (AELC).

Reviews

[Covadonga Diaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesante repaso a las enfermedades infecciosas. Muchos datos presentados con claridad, y tristemente proféticos

[Petrina Binney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book we all needed at the start of the pandemic. Yes, I said it. In this book, doctor, researcher and author, Salvador Macip talks the reader through the differences between outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics, as well as the nature of bacteria, viruses and the scientific advances that prevent us from contracting and spreading deadly diseases.

From plague to AIDS to TB, each illness behaves in an individual style, but the real difference with Covid-19 (for the sake of posterity, Covid-19 is the pandemic we’re living through at the time of writing) is that we live in a world that lives its life, at least partly, online. As such, information, misinformation and something somebody’s auntie said all mix, and we risk spiralling into paranoia and devastation.

Salvador Macip’s book is the calm voice in the storm. Through detailed but graspable explanations, he defines all the major terms, the nature of illness, and what we can do to prevent the spread.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about viruses and how they work, and also to anyone who has a conspiracy theorist in their life who needs to educate themselves or move on. This is the book.

[Estibaliz Ruiz de Sabando (Esti Reads a Lot) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahora me siento menos ignorante.

Si no eres del mundo de la salud (o de la biología en general) pero te interesa ENTENDER un poco lo que nos está ocurriendo actualmente con el coronavirus, este libro puede interesarte. Tiene ejemplos muy ilustrativos, datos curiosos sobre el mundo de la medicina y lo que hay "detrás" de las enfermedades que no hemos logrado erradicar.

Sin duda, un libro para comprender las dificultades a las que nos enfrentamos cuando "jugamos a ser dioses".

Si te da mucha ansiedad el tema de la pandemia que estamos viviendo actualmente, probablemente esta sea una lectura que debes dejar para más tarde. No es que sea un libro alarmista, pero sí que te deja bastante impactado sobre el mundo de los micrororganismos y lo LEJOS que estamos de entenderlo completamente.

Tampoco puedo considerar que sea un libro extremadamente memorable (aunque tampoco creo que esa sea su expectativa), por lo que lo recomendaría únicamente si a la persona le llama la atención el tema.

[Steve Gabell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The covid pandemic has made many people more aware of the threats to human life posed by microbes on a global scale. Written to be accessible to a layperson, this book discusses not only the covid pandemic but also influenza, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Resistance to treatments and the importance of vaccines are also discussed.

There are some minor technical errors in the text, for example electron microscopes being referred to as "electronic microscopes", but they don't impact the overall message. Disappointingly, there are no references cited or bibliography provided - however this may have been addressed in the published version as I have an uncorrected proof.

Other texts provide much more detail than found here, such as The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett. If you know little about epidemics Macip has written a useful introduction, but if you already have some knowledge you won't learn much.

[Gabriel Lellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

É o tipo de livro que eu classifico como "livro de curiosidades". Te ajuda a relembrar várias coisas que você já sabia, mas estavam no fundo da memória (Ex. como a Malária é transmitida), porém é capaz também de trazer alguns fatos novos interessantes (Ex. Porque a pesquisa de antibióticos não é interessante para a indústria farmacêutica).

Ótimo livro para passar o tempo e acumular conhecimento extra, sem necessariamente colocar a cabeça para trabalhar em reflexões muito profundas.

Achei o autor um pouco eurocêntrico. Senti que faltou um pouco de conhecimento e força de vontade para mostrar o tamanho da contribuição de pesquisadores do Brasil para doenças como a Dengue. Fica pra mim um sentimento de que na cabeça dele somos os "coitados do Sul" que precisam ser salvos.

[Milybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

este libro nos habla sobre alguna epidemias modernas todos sabemos sobre la peste negra pero actualmente seguimos teniendo como es en pleno 2020 con el covid, alguna de las que nos habla son gripe, sida, tuberculosis y malaria. Lo único que le vería mal a este libro es que tiene varios errores ortográficos como "tejas" en vez de "texas". Después de leer este libro me doy cuenta que México no evoluciona

[Ione DeOllos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes a fascinating look at various pandemics. With each pandemic, the author clearly explains the cause, the efforts at controlling the cause, and the efforts at producing a vaccine. This is an amazing coverage of viruses, bacteria, and other causes of disease and pandemics. Good read for anyone.

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book for someone who is not in the medical field as it plainly explains the various diseases and various ways to stop their spread. Reading in 2024 is not recommended as it speaks of the Covid 19 virus but since this was written in 2021 it doesn’t speak of the aftermath and the actual vaccines that were made

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molt interessant i amè, encara que en sàpigues sempre s'aprenen coses i és de molt fàcil lectura. M'agrada que hagi estat escrit el 2009 ja que no es deixa emportar per l'actualitat del COVID-19, I a la vegada n'explica moltes coses. Faria falta una actualització dels casos d'infeccions que parla del 2009, tractaments prometedors que s'investigaven, etc, ja han passat 10 anys i tenim moltes respostes, bones i dolentes.

[Oscar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aprovechando...la pandemia...libro publicado hace 10 años...y ahora....lo republicamos.... y guay...., en su día....pues estaría bien...pero ahora...desfasado...y lo que aporta..ya muy conocido...flojillo...hace 10 años...ahora..ni os cuento
Se lee fácil...eso si.,..es cortito e ilustra bien. Pero desactualizado...10 años son muchos.
Si bien,lo que es historico cumple.

[Jordi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clar i amè. Em crida l'atenció -i no duc segona intenció- la defensa que fa Salvador Macip de la indústria farmacèutica i la propaganda de la Fundació Gates.