Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic (2012)

The author's agreeable, conversational style must be my first comment. I was similarly pleased when I read his book "The Song of the Dodo..." a few years ago. His delivery is important because this book covers a great deal of scientific discovery in the (literal) world of zoonotic viruses and more. The search for "reservoirs" (asymptomatic animal carriers) for the many threats, such as Ebola, SARS, Nipah virus, flu, and many others, was a common focus throughout. Seeking how viruses and bacteria spread from animals and from human to human uncovered some remarkable findings, often thanks to incredibly determined and brave investigators who enter an infection zone in real time. Quammen's face to face interviews with experts all over the globe were liberally quoted, which added to the intimate tone. If you have any interest in medical puzzles, pandemics, eco-biology, or even the animal world, this book is for you. ( )

This was terrific - Quammen does a great job of turning a complex, scary subject into something comprehensible (and still scary - but not nearly as bad as it was before). It feels weird to complement the writing on a book like this, but the writing really was superb, clear and intelligible, funny sometimes, never more dramatic than the data calls for. I feel smarter after reading this, which is what good nonfiction should do. ( )

Heavy reading, but important. Mankind faces some serious
problems which are coming faster and faster. ( )

Quammen's discussion and investigation of zoonotic viruses is a fascinating ride, and reads more like a mystery or novel of intrigue than nonfiction focused into science and history. From chapter to chapter, he takes readers through the questions and the histories that surround animal-based viruses that make the jump from their host animal to humans in 'spillover' events, and does so in a fashion that any reader can follow and engage with.

Whether dealing with interviews, history, hard science, journeys to unravel questions re. hosts or nature, or speculation about what's to come, each moment of the text is frighteningly readable, and moves so quickly that the book is difficult to walk away from. This is an impressive work, and well worth reading--for anyone.

Absolutely recommended. ( )

Once I saw the subject of David Quammen's latest book, Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic, I was determined to get my hands on and read it as soon as possible. True - and it is worth every dollar I spent. Likely the next big pandemic will be the result of a spillover virus of some kind. A spillover describes a zoonoses, infectious diseases, that originate in animals and spread to humans.

Quammen explains:
"When a pathogen leaps from some nonhuman animal into a person, and succeeds there in establishing itself as an infectious presence, sometimes causing illness or death, the result is a zoonosis. (pg.20)" "Ebola is a zoonosis. So is bubonic plague. So was the so-called Spanish influenza of 1918-19 [which killed] as many as 50 million people...(pg. 21)"
And:
"Emergence and spillover are distinct concepts but interconnected. 'Spillover' is the term used by disease ecologists... to denote the moment when a pathogen passes from members of one species, as host, into members of another. It's a focused event. (pg. 43)"

Viruses/diseases discussed include: Ebola, Hendra, hantaviruses, influenza (H5N1, H1N1), Lyme disease, herpes B, the Black Death (perhaps), hepatitis C, AIDS, SARS, dengue, rabies, Marburg, Nipah, Marchupo, yellow fever, Lassa, HIV, and more. It's very likely that most of the virulent viruses we fear begin as a spillover zoonosis. Certainly every time we hear of a new flu virus, we will also hear where it is suspected that it originated from, be it swine or bird.

What is truly frightening is that, while the big outbreaks of these viruses seem to be limited, in reality the viruses, like Ebola, are present all the time. Predicting or anticipating when an outbreak will occur is impossible. It is helpful to know what animals carry the viruses. Add to that knowledge the reality that today an infected person or potential carrier of a deadly virus can fly across the world in a short amount of time.

It is quite interesting to read Quammen account revealing that "AIDS began with a spillover from one chimp to one human, in southeastern Cameroon, no later than 1908 (give or take a margin of error) and grew slowly but inexorably from there. (pg. 427)"

One of the many great qualities of Spillover is the accessibility of Quammen's writing. He creates a palatable sense of drama and anticipation in this very informative nonfiction account. He informs and entertains; even while imparting serious information, he includes witty, humorous comments. I enjoyed this book very much.

Get your flu shot and read Spillover. Today.

Very Highly Recommended - one of the best
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