The Perfect Predator

An electrifying memoir of one woman's extraordinary effort to save her husband's life-and the discovery of a forgotten cure that has the potential to save millions more. "A memoir that reads like a thriller." -New York Times Book Review "A fascinating and terrifying peek into the devastating outcomes of antibiotic misuse-and what happens when standard health care falls short." -Scientific American Epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee and her husband, psychologist Tom Patterson, were vacationing in Egypt when Tom came down with a stomach bug. What at first seemed like a case of food poisoning quickly turned critical, and by the time Tom had been transferred via emergency medevac to the world-class medical center at UC San Diego, where both he and Steffanie worked, blood work revealed why modern medicine was failing: Tom was fighting one of the most dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the world. Frantic, Steffanie combed through research old and new and came across phage therapy: the idea that the right virus, aka "the perfect predator," can kill even the most lethal bacteria. Phage treatment had fallen out of favor almost 100 years ago, after antibiotic use went mainstream. Now, with time running out, Steffanie appealed to phage researchers all over the world for help. She found allies at the FDA, researchers from Texas A&M, and a clandestine Navy biomedical center -- and together they resurrected a forgotten cure. A nail-biting medical mystery, The Perfect Predator is a story of love and survival against all odds, and the (re)discovery of a powerful new weapon in the global superbug crisis.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The war against pandemics took a personal turn for me and my husband, Tom, when we were infected with the superbug Tomcat. We found out that there were no approved treatment options for the disease. #2 Tom and I were globetrotting scientists who went looking for trouble in the world of infectious diseases. We had been planning our dream vacation, but after the attacks on Sharm El Sheikh and Paris, even well-traveled friends raised their eyebrows when we told them we were skipping their invitations to visit the pyramids. #3 We had always enjoyed spontaneity, and we liked to meet nature on its own terms. We were married in a civil ceremony at a beach house in Hawaii by our children. We had met an Egyptologist who would be our guide for the next week. #4 The Egyptians were very preoccupied with death and funeral preparation because they believed the spirit faced a perilous journey to reach the afterlife and settle in for eternity.

Epidemiologist Steffanie Strathdee and her husband, psychologist Tom Patterson, were vacationing in Egypt when Tom came down with a stomach bug. What at first seemed like a case of food poisoning quickly turned critical, and by the time Tom had been transferred via emergency medevac to the world-class medical center at UC San Diego, where both he and Steffanie worked, blood work revealed why modern medicine was failing: Tom was fighting one of the most dangerous, antibiotic- resistant bacteria in the world. Frantic, Steffanie combed through research old and new and came across phage therapy: the idea that the right virus, aka "the perfect predator," can kill even the most lethal bacteria. Phage treatment had fallen out of favor almost 100 years ago, after antibiotic use went mainstream. Now, with time running out, Steffanie appealed to phage researchers all over the world for help. She found allies at the FDA, researchers from Texas A&M, and a clandestine Navy biomedical center --and together they resurrected a forgotten cure. A nail-biting medical mystery, The Perfect Predator is a story of love and survival against all odds, and the (re)discovery of a powerful new weapon in the global superbug crisis.

"Rich detail and vivid anecdotes of adventure....A treasure trove of exotic fact and hard thinking." —New York Times Book Review For millennia, lions, tigers, and their man-eating kin have kept our dark, scary forests dark and scary, and their predatory majesty has been the stuff of folklore. But by the year 2150 big predators may only exist on the other side of glass barriers and chain-link fences. Their gradual disappearance is changing the very nature of our existence. We no longer occupy an intermediate position on the food chain; instead we survey it invulnerably from above—so far above that we are in danger of forgetting that we even belong to an ecosystem. Casting his expert eye over the rapidly diminishing areas of wilderness where predators still reign, the award-winning author of The Song of the Dodo and The Tangled Tree examines the fate of lions in India's Gir forest, of saltwater crocodiles in northern Australia, of brown bears in the mountains of Romania, and of Siberian tigers in the Russian Far East. In the poignant and troublesome ferocity of these embattled creatures, we recognize something primeval deep within us, something in danger of vanishing forever.

Explores the physical characteristics, life cycles, and behavior of various shark species in text and full-color photographs.

Covers hunting strategies and calling tactics to hunt predators such as red and gray fox, coyote, black bear, bobcats, and mountain lions. 107 black-and-white and 12 color photos.

Big Cats, Reptiles, And Ocean Killers Are Just A Few Of The Predators Discussed In This Book. How They Chase Their Prey And What Weapons They Use To Hunt Them Down And Kill Them. This Exciting Book Is Filled With Beautiful Photos That Will Have Students On The Edge Of Their Seats.

The Elders told of a flaming star falling from the heavens into the vast freshwater sea. With its coming, the tribe warriors discover two young girls, a gift from the lake god. Fragile and slow to age, the pair are venerated, growing up respected and cared for like royalty. In the wake of a hunting tragedy, one of the sisters receives strength by drinking human blood. She becomes a hunter of men. For thousands of years this ageless beauty travels the world, experiencing life as a warrior, a queen, a scholar. As the severity of her countless crimes presses down on her conscience, she reminisces about her life, from her first beginnings, to world wars, and to her one true love. She thinks herself alone in the world, believing her beloved sister to be dead, but when the pair reunite, Elizabeth is surprised by the changes in Miriam and in herself. She is unprepared to meet the perfect predator.