人類の歴史と切り離すことのできないウィルスの構造や性質、感染経路などの概要、どのように宿主細胞に侵入し乗っ取ろうとするのかなどを簡明に解説します。第3版は特にSARS、MERS、新型コロナウイルス感染症の原因ウイルスの「SARSコロナウイルス２」といったオルトコロナウイルス亜科に着目し、新型コロナウイルス感染症はなぜパンデミックに発展するほど急速に増殖したのかを考察し、驚異的な速さで進んだワクチン開発にも言及します。今後の危機を見据え、有効な対策と管理についても検討します。
   

• Provides a rounded and concise account of the nature of viruses, how they attack their hosts, and the efforts to control them
• Considers the viruses behind pandemics past and present
• Looks to the future and considers the preventative measures and management of future dangerous viruses that are expected to emerge
• Part of the Very Short Introductions series - over ten million copies sold worldwide

New to this Edition:

• Fully updated to examine the COVID-19 pandemic and the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible
• Explores the recent revolution in vaccine production and the preventative measures and management of future dangerous viruses that are expected to emerge 

Viruses are everywhere, and as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, cannot be ignored. From their discovery to the unravelling of their intricate structures, this Very Short Introduction provides a rounded and concise account of the nature of viruses, how they attack their hosts, and the efforts to control them.
      
In this new edition, Dorothy H. Crawford examines the recent rise in emerging virus infections, especially coronaviruses, including the viruses behind SARS and MERS, and SARS CoV-2 responsible for COVID-19. Crawford explores why the SARS-CoV-2 was able to spread rapidly to form a pandemic while others have produced more localized epidemics, as well as looking at the revolution in vaccine production that this has caused. Looking to the future, this Very Short Introduction considers the preventative measures and management of future dangerous viruses that are expected to emerge.