Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA well-written and fascinating introduction to human parasitology from an intriguing, seldom-used perspective: how we can learn from parasites to achieve medical breakthroughs. -- Rod Adam, University of Arizona Dickson D. Despommier's approach is unique, easy going, and insightful. His book will appeal to both scientists and laypeople interested in science and medicine-and will be of particular interest to travelers to exotic places. -- Robert Gwadz, National Institutes of Health There's a lot to learn from a tapeworm. Parasites have evolved stunningly successful strategies for thriving in our bodies for millions of years. Drawing on his long career as a parasitologist, Dickson D. Despommier explores the lessons we can gain from our passengers, creating a fascinating tour of the parasitic world. -- Carl Zimmer, author of A Planet of Viruses and Parasite Rex [An] illuminating book... Despommier is an excellent popularizer, lacing his accounts of our invaders' ingenuity with history and anecdotes that underscore how grateful a modern society should be for clean drinking water and sanitary facilities. Kirkus Reviews Reading this book may make your skin crawl... The facts are horrifying and fascinating... As Despommier argues, these body snatchers deserve respect. -- Marissa Fessenden Scientific American [People, Parasites, and Plowshares] chronicles the discovery-and destructive treachery-of parasites as well as the promise they offer modern medicine in curing a number of diseases. Washington Post [People, Parasites, and Plowshares] beautifully balances history and pathology. -- Dave Lee Discover A rich, fulsome feast. It is also a gift to tropical medicine. American Journal of Tropical Medicine An informative and entertaining view of parasitic life cycles and resulting human diseases... The use of illustrations, examples, and stories, combined with limited use of technical terms, works well to connect and engage the reader... Highly recommended. CHOICE Despommier's writing is precise, clear, and up to date... I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in parasitology. -- Scott L. Gardner BioScience A smoothly crafted mix of pathology, public and global health, how these parasites make their livings, and fascinating stories. -- Janice Moore BioScience
Table of ContentsForeword by William C. Campbell Preface Acknowledgments 1. This New House: Trichinalla spiralis 2. Hooked on Parasites: Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus 3. Houdini's Nefarious Cousins: The Trypanosomes, the Schistosomes, and the Lymphatic Filariae 4. A Parasite for All Seasons: Toxoplasma gondii 5. The Unholy Trinity: Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and the Hookworms 6. The Long and the Short of It: Tapeworms-Taenia saginata, Taenia solium, Diphyllobothrium latum, Echinococcus granulosus, and Echinococcus multilocularis 7. All's Well That Ends Wells: Dracunculus medinensis 8. Nature Has All the Answers. What's Your Question? Glossary Further Reading Index
