★A work of utmost efforts by the author Joshua Loomis, PhD, Microbiology and Immunology, combined his 12 years’ experience of teaching microbiology and epidemiology.

★ A book that redefines the relationship between man and germs from various aspects, helping the readers understand the forgotten stories of ten infectious diseases: plague, smallpox, leprosy, yellow fever, malaria, cholera, tuberculosis, influenza, polio and AIDS, and transforming the fear of infectious diseases into rational thinking and reflection.

★ A survey of the ten most influential infectious diseases in human history, with deep discussion of the valuable experience and unexpected changes gained by humans in the process of fighting against germs.

★ Adults and students who’re curious about science and history and the unknown facts of life will find this book quite interesting, especially the health care practitioners, and college students who majored in biology or premedical will benefit greatly from this book.

★ Diving deep into the untold historical stories behind infectious diseases, the book shows how they played a vital role in determining wars, toppling empires, triggering technological leaps and even changing the human genome, providing readers with a unique perspective on the relationship between epidemics and humanity.

★Sold for Audio Rights (English), and Simplified Chinese Rights.

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, Epidemics: The Impact of Germs and Their Power over Humanity 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 our oldest and smallest parasites.

Adults and students interested in science and history―and especially anyone who appreciates a good story and has a healthy curiosity for the lesser-known facts of life―will find this book of interest. Health-care workers will also benefit greatly from this text, as will college students majoring in biology or a pre-health field.

• Discusses epidemic disease as a major driving force in shaping our world.
• Brings epidemic diseases out of the background of historical narratives and demonstrates how they have had an immensely important role in deciding wars, toppling empires, sparking major leaps in technology, and even changing the human genome.
• Integrates science with history, sociology, religion, and other disciplines to provide the reader with a unique perspective not found in most other accounts of epidemic disease.
• Shares fascinating insights such as how an epidemic of yellow fever helped to double the size of the United States and why tuberculosis was once considered a disease of the intellectual elite.

Joshua S. Loomis, PhD
A microbiologist who conducts research on mixed microbial biofilms, antibiotics, and the history of epidemic diseases.
Joshua is the assistant professor of biology at East Stroudsburg University. He has taught courses in microbiology and epidemic disease for more than 12 years.
He received B.A. from University of Florida, 1998, Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University, 2003, and Postdoctoral Associate at Department of Microbiology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami.