"Unlike other books on epidemics, which either focus on the science behind how microbes cause disease or tell first-person accounts of one particular disease, [this book] takes a holistic approach to explaining how these diseases have shaped who we are as a society. Each of the worst epidemic diseases is discussed from the perspective of how it has been a causative agent of change with respect to our history, religious traditions, social interactions, and technology. In looking at world history through the lens of epidemic diseases, readers will come to appreciate how much we owe to the oldest and smallest parasites"--Book jacket.

Microbes as agents of change --Plague -- Smallpox -- Malaria -- Tuberculosis -- Typhus -- Yellow fever -- Cholera -- Influenza -- Polio -- HIV/AIDS -- The future of epidemic disease.