The Perfect Predator
A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug: A Memoir
By Steffanie Strathdee | Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
About the book
A harrowing 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.
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.
\"A fascinating and terrifying peek into the devastating outcomes of antibiotic misuse—and what happens when standard health care falls short.\" ––Scientific American
\"[A] gripping and intriguing medical thriller ...This page-turner of a couple's determination to survive also serves as a dire warning regarding the consequences of the overuse of antibiotics.\" ––Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Editions of The Perfect Predator
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780316418089
- EBook
- ISBN 9780316418072
Read an Excerpt
A harrowing 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.
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.
\"A fascinating and terrifying peek into the devastating outcomes of antibiotic misuse—and what happens when standard health care falls short.\" ––Scientific American
\"[A] gripping and intriguing medical thriller ...This page-turner of a couple's determination to survive also serves as a dire warning regarding the consequences of the overuse of antibiotics.\" ––Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Perfect Predator about?
A harrowing 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.
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.
\"A fascinating and terrifying peek into the devastating outcomes of antibiotic misuse—and what happens when standard health care falls short.\" ––Scientific American
\"[A] gripping and intriguing medical thriller ...This page-turner of a couple's determination to survive also serves as a dire warning regarding the consequences of the overuse of antibiotics.\" ––Publishers Weekly (starred review)
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Perfect Predator?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Memoirs
Where can I read a sample of The Perfect Predator?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780316418089
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Perfect Predator?
Steffanie Strathdee
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Perfect Predator is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780316418089) and ebook(ISBN 9780316418072)
Where can I buy The Perfect Predator online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Perfect Predator from below
Where can I buy The Perfect Predator?