Deadliest Enemy
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | March 2017 |
| Founder | Michael T. Osterholm, Mark Olshaker |
| Products | Non-fiction book |
Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs is a factual work authored by epidemiologist Michael T. Osterholm alongside writer Mark Olshaker. The book explores significant public health threats, including antimicrobial resistance, emerging infectious disease, and the dangers posed by a potential influenza pandemic. It introduces a comprehensive nine-step "battle plan for survival" designed to confront these issues, with particular attention to combating antimicrobial drug resistance.
Topics addressed encompass the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), toxic shock syndrome, Zika, Ebola, bioterrorism, influenza studies, and the antivaccine movement.
Released in March 2017 by Little, Brown and Company, the publication merges historical context, present-day analysis, and strategic guidance for future public health efforts.
Synopsis
Osterholm presents this volume as an integration of historical review, contemporary developments, and forward-looking strategies, focusing on influenza pandemics, antibiotic resistance, and bioterrorism amid an absence of definitive global governance. He underscores the world's susceptibility to new infectious challenges and the repercussions for medical care and vaccine production if outbreaks occur in critical regions.
A specific chapter titled "SARS and MERS: Harbingers of Things to Come" concentrates on coronaviruses and their potential future risks. Additional chapters evaluate major epidemics from the last three decades, such as HIV/AIDS, toxic shock syndrome, the 2015–16 Zika outbreak, Ebola episodes, influenza pandemics, bioterrorism threats, gain-of-function research concerns, the antivaccine movement, and antimicrobial resistance. The notion of "game-changing influenza vaccines" is introduced to advocate for innovative vaccine development approaches. Strategies addressing antimicrobial resistance are detailed in the section "Fighting the resistance."
The authors classify infectious diseases into four categories: those with pandemic potential; pathogens localized to certain regions; endemic illnesses; and issues related to bioterrorism including dual-use research and gain-of-function experiments with misuse implications.
Personal anecdotes, like Osterholm’s experience with La Crosse encephalitis, add depth to the discussion. Utilizing medical history as a lens, the book evaluates pandemic risks and antimicrobial resistance while critiquing political responses. The outlined nine-point "Battle Plan for Survival" seeks to educate readers and encourage active participation in public health initiatives.
Reception
The publication received acclaim from Richard Preston, who described it as a "powerful and necessary book" that provides not only caution but actionable plans. John M. Barry regarded it as Osterholm’s method of driving impactful outcomes.
Frank Weimann noted the "bleak introduction on epidemic threats" and characterized the core content as a troubling account of human actions that sustain epidemiologists’ relevance, ultimately supporting Osterholm’s appeal for enhanced planning, research investment, and funding.
Selections from the book were featured in Wired and broadcast on MPR News. Additionally, it was recognized among the best books of 2017 by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.