Killer Superbugs: The Story of Drug-Resistant Diseases

by Nancy Day

Not so long ago, antibiotics were considered miracle cures. The introduction of penicillin turned once fatal infections into minor problems. Tuberculosis, a fatal disease of the early twentieth century, seemed to disappear, but the appearance of microbes that are highly resistant to antibiotics in the late twentieth century meant that minor health problems were major again, and tuberculosis re-entered the scene. Author Nancy Day explains the history...

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0766015882
• ISBN13: 9780766015883
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Enslow Publishing
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Informative and Compelling

"Killer Superbugs the Story of Drug-Resistant Diseases by Nancy Day is a primer for middle school readers about microbial pathogens, the development of antibiotics, and the results of antibiotic misuse. Killer Superbugs is one in a series of Issues in Focus books dealing with important issues of our time. Some other titles in the series are: Cults, Plague and Pestilence, Medical Ethics, Hate Groups, Teen Smoking, and Women in Combat. This sampling of topics is an indication of the seriousness of the topics examined, Superbugs is a book that informs and serves as a catalyst for spirited discussion and contemplation. It is not a book that entertains with shocking graphics or narrative. Despite its 2001 publication date, I see this book as a viable teaching tool and an excellent choice for supplemental reading. Colored photos and some graphics detailing how bacteria function would make this book even more appealing to its intended audience.