Secret Agents

The war on germs is being fought on many fronts -- from the skirmishes with disease-carrying mosquitoes to the high-profile battle against terrorists. Indeed, today's bold headlines would have us believe that the biggest threat comes from bioterrorism. But don't underestimate Mother Nature, perhaps the most savage bioterrorist of all. Author Madeline Drexler makes it clear that we'd best not ignore her.As modern life grows increasingly complex, human beings and the pathogens that attack them are crossing paths more and more frequently. Whatever the infectious agent may be, whether it is pandemic flu, foodborne illness, a debilitating disease carried far and wide by biting insects, or some new microbial horror we have yet to detect, keen surveillance and rapid response are really the only weapons in our arsenal.

Secret Agents looks at today's new and emerging infections and tells the stories of scientists racing to catch up with invisible adversaries superior in both speed and guile. Each chapter looks at a different threat: foodborne pathogens, antibiotic resistance, animal- and insectborne diseases, pandemic influenza, infectious causes of chronic disease, and bioterrorism, including the latest information on the public health threats posed by anthrax and diseases like smallpox.

Emerging infections are among the many secret ties that bind the world into an organic whole. We know that infectious disease is an inescapable part of life. But we need to begin thinking globally and acting locally if we are to avoid the menace of a catastrophic outbreak of some new plague. Secret Agents sounds a clear and compelling call to take up arms against the organic predators among us.