"What biological agents should we truly be afraid of? Which have garnered more attention than they warrant? Emerging Biological Threats: A Reference Guide is the antidote for the confusion surrounding the potentially devastating impact of pathogens on the human community. Written by a frontline professional in epidemiology, it is the most authoritative yet engagingly written resource available on the real risks we face, and the countermeasures used to confront them. Emerging Biological Threats provides the information needed to understand significant direct threats to human health, as well as those that impact us indirectly by destroying livestock and crops. Focused primarily on the United States, it offers science-based yet accessible explorations of HIV, influenza, drug-resistant pathogens, tuberculosis, meningitis, and more. In addition, the book assesses current predictions about the future spread of various diseases as a result of climate change and overpopulation. The book concludes with chapters on relevant environmental and sociological trends and a discussion of current public health strategy."--Publisher's description.

1. Introduction : Public health: a short history ; Koch and his postulates ; Hazard, threat, and risk ; Outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics ; What is popular culture? ; More definitions ; So how bad is it? -- 2. Five big ones : HIV disease and AIDS ; Malaria ; Tuberculosis ; Influenza ; Hepatitis B and C -- 3. Five more (and complications) : Measles ; Dysenteries and enteric fevers ; Dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever ; Bad bugs and miracle drugs ; Emerging diseases ; What about pneumonia? ; What about meningitis and encephalitis? -- 4. Food insecurity :What about bees? ; Mad cow disease ; Foot-and-mouth disease ; Anthrax ; Rinderpest ; Heartwater ; Classical swine fever ; Blue-ear pig diseases ; Newcastle disease ; Avian influenza ; Honeybee colony collapse disorder -- 5. Food insecurity, continued : Citrus tristeza virus ; Bacterial wilt ; Sounthern corn leaf blight ; Citrus canker ; Late blight of potato ; Soybean rust ; Witches' broom disease ; Phoma stem canker ; Asian soybean aphid ; Locusts ; Conclusion: One to grow on -- 6. Making things worse : Too many babies: overpopulation ; Too much carbon: global climate change ; Not enough food: famine. pestilence, destruction, and death ; Too much food: metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes ; Too many sick people: the healthcare crisis ; Too many angry people: bioterrorism ; Too many experts: the bogus health industry ; Too many drugs: substance abuse ; Too much UV: stratospheric ozone depletion revisited ; Too many cooks: environmental management issues -- 7. Fighting back : Pt. 1: Balking the enemiy's plans: Health education, Better food, A higher power, Basic research, Water, toilets, and garbage ; Pt. 2. Preventing the junction of the enemy's forces: Lookouts: surveillance and screening, Arming the people: vaccination, Holding the line: convenient barriers, The fifth column: ringers and decoys, A clean camp: home, school, and workplace ; Pt. 3. Attacking the enemy's army in the field: Killing the enemy: snipers and WMDs, Disabling the enemy's transportation: inconvenient barriers, Destroying the enemy's resources : habitat modification, Enlisting allies: biological controls, Bugout: postexposure prophylaxis ; Pt. 4. Besieging walled cities: Mopping up: disease eradication and elimination, Occupation: public health enforcement, Recruitment: help wanted, Who's going to pay for this?, Tuberculosis: the million year war -- Postscript: Making friends.