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Title: Fundamental Virology
ISBN: 0781718333
Author:
Publicate Date: 2001-08-15
Publish: 2001-08-15
List Price: $99.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $32.19
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $31.60
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1: Great resource for virology
This is one of the primary books used at UC Berkeley. Text is very thorough, great details and citations.
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2: Superb
For non-experts in the subject (such as this reviewer), this book gives a fascinating overview of organisms that have challenged humankind's domination of this planet. Although the book is targeted toward students and biologists, anyone who has a keen interest in virology will gain much from its perusal. Packed with diagrams, and containing hundreds of references, readers should have no problems in assimilating the information in the book, even though it is quite sizable. I only read chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, and 13 (due only to time constraints and not because the other chapters were deemed unimportant) so my review will be confined to listing some of the interesting facts and helpful features of the book.
These include: 1. The discussion on the history of virology, especially the discussion on D'Herelle's dream and Koch's postulates. The early years of virology are impressive given that viruses could not be seen at the time due to the lack of suitable microscopes. 2. The actual number of species of viruses is 1550, with 2404 tentative species. 3. The methods by which the different viruses were identified experimentally, such as cell cultures and recombinant DNA technology. 4. The methods for measuring the infectivity of viruses. 5. The method of fluctuation analysis for measuring spontaneous mutation rates in viruses. The difference in spontaneous mutation rates between DNA and RNA viruses is astonishing. The authors point out the ability of RNA viruses to exist as "quasi-species", being capable of very rapid adaptation because of the high spontaneous mutation rate. 6. The simple replication abilities of RNA viruses, which although very error prone, results in very rapid evolutionary response. 7. In plant viruses, the existence of genome segments that are frequently packaged in distinct virions, which results in the need for several viruses to co-infect in order to transmit infectivity. 8. Viral RNA genomes are very rich and contain nearly every structural variation possible. 9. The role of horizontal gene transfer in producing the antigenic shifts that produce new pandemic strains of influenza. 10. The ability of cells to counteract virus infections by using gene silencing or the interferon system. Some viruses have evolved mechanisms for evading these defenses. 11. The replication strategies for DNA viruses, and the mechanisms that have evolved to evade host defenses. 12. Viral DNA replication is initiated by using proteins as primers. 13. The ability of viruses to evade host defenses by withdrawing into a latent state. Only a few proteins are expressed when the virus is in this latent state. The authors encourage the reader to pursue research into the mechanisms that are behind the initiation and release from latency, since at the time of writing these mechanisms are not well understood. 14. Gene therapy, certainly the most fascinating of all topics in virology and genetic engineering. 15. The role of self-inactivating (SIN) vectors in enhancing the safety of viral vectors.
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3: the only book i will ever need
As an undergraduate taking a course in virology, I found this book the only book I ever needed. It has all the information that you need and more. I just hope that they will continue to come out with a newer edition since this book is out of date and the field of virology has grown since this edition.
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4: Need some basic science knowledge.
I read the chapter on prions and i found it to be really good and up to date. of course it requires you to know a little background knowledge but if you're reading this book you probably already fill out that category. definitely not for the layman...
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5: Written by experts for experts.
I am an undergraduate student taking a course in virology, and i find this book extremely difficult to learn from. As a reference source for a particular virus it may be of use, but use of this book as a learning tool is foolish. Yes, this book is written by experts concerning a particular field, but it seems that the authors target audience is also...experts. In introducing fundamental concepts of virology, the text constantly uses examples to a particular virus. From this particular virus, it then makes reference of a mechanism of this virus. How can one make a reference to a mechanism, when one has not yet even been exposed to the virus family themselves? Its almost like talking about the stats of a certain sports figure, and then as a foot note make reference upon how the game is played.
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