On Writing the History of Human Infectious Disease

Until recently, no historian had taken up the challenge of synthesizing the burgeoning literature on the genomics of pathogenic agents, situating the major human infectious diseases in the context of human history and attempting to evaluate their impacts. For this reason, the publication of Harper's accomplished survey of the effects of infectious diseases on human history, Plagues Upon the Earth, is timely, needed, and most welcome

Context (archaeology) · Disease · History of medicine · Human biology · Human disease · Infectious disease (medical specialty) · MEDLINE · Pathogenic organism · Zoonotic diseases and public health