The strange new disease SARS erupted apparently out of nowhere and has spread at an astonishing rate. Scary as SARS itself is, the disease is also a warning of many possible such outbreaks to come. Featuring the disturbing story of SARS-where it came from, what it is, and how to protect yourself from it-as well as those of many other recently evolved deadly scourges, The New Killer Diseases is a shocking call to arms. All around us-in our homes, workplaces, and public spaces-bacteria and viruses are evolving at a feverish rate, and our best defenses against them are in danger of being overwhelmed. The threat posed by emerging infectious diseases is as formidable as any challenge the human race has ever faced, and the evolutionary scales may be tipping in favor of the microbes.