Hippity hop! Where to stop?, 14 Nov 2004
Once considered a "degenerate" form of life, parasites are being seen as important indicators of how evolution has progressed over 4 billion years. Zimmer credits them with being the driving force for biological diversity. He substantiates this claim with a sweeping, evocative survey of what is known today about parasites. That, he regretfully concedes, is little enough. What is known is that many early conceptions about parasites needed to be thrown aside as more information about this highly adaptable and widely variable range of organisms emerges.

While we may recoil at the term "parasite", Zimmer identifies but one villain in this book. Ray Lankester, a devoted Edwardian-era evolutionist, postulated that parasites were a "regressive" form of organism. He thought they shed evolutionary advantages as they simplified their bodies through their life cycles. Lankester thus set the tone for generations - biologists avoided studying parasites as offering no additional information revealing evolution's processes. Zimmer explains that since parasites are predators, it was thought they ought to follow the patterns of other predators - stalking prey like lions, or following scent gradients like sharks.

Instead, as more about them came to light, it was revealed how adaptive parasites are. Some, in fact, have developed the talent of making "prey" come to them. One fluke invades a snail early in its career. In an intermediate, but distinctive form, it then moves to an ant. Residing in the ant's brain, at some point it directs the ant to climb a grass stalk. There it waits for the grass, along with the ant and itself, to be eaten by a cow. The fluke cruises through the cow's stomach before taking up residence in the liver as adults, yet another body form. When the eggs are produced, they return to the intestinal tract to be later deposited on the ground, awaited by the snails. Looking at each phase, residing in a different host, you would be inclined to see it as a separate species.

This note is but one of the endless chorus of parasite adaptations Zimmer relates in this excellent book. He joins the refrain of older scientists lamenting the lack of upcoming researchers needed in parasite studies. Unlike the animals we see around us, most parasites have astonishingly varied body forms as they go through the phases of their life cycles. For years, this catalog of body plans was thought to display different species. Only recently has it been demonstrated that these creatures changed shape and function dramatically as they changed living environments. Identifying each stage, the invader's function there, the impact on the host and other elements requires long, patient and dedicated work.

Those of us in the urban world think we can keep parasites at a distance, flooding our farms and wetlands with chemicals to fend them off. This is false confidence, Zimmer reminds us. Parasites are the most adaptable forms of life on the planet. They are as likely to promote change as respond to it. Zimmer cites Robin Dunbar's thesis that grooming for parasites ultimately allowed humans to develop speech and language. He explains how our immune systems and parasites enter a modus vivendi that allows the parasite and host alike to survive. Recognising how that process evolved could lead to better coexistence through "taming" the invaders.

Coexistence with these minute creatures turns out to have many implications. It's now clear that the development of agriculture made human society vulnerable to invaders unknown on the savannah. Human bodies became less robust and mortality rates rose. How far back in time have they had influences on us and what are those? Zimmer suggests that some monkeys have developed "manners" in resource or mate competition. They scream and cavort, but don't scratch or bite rivals for fear of bloodworm infection. Others use particular leaves to clear digestive tracts of infestations. We hear of researchers seeking "genes for" schizophrenia, homosexuality, even "gods". Zimmer thinks we're looking in the wrong place. Instead, he urges, we should identify the "flukes for" these and other aspects of human behaviour and form. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

From revulsion to respect, 08 Aug 2004
If you're interested in life in general and natural wonders in particular, you should find this book fascinating, with your senses of revulsion and respect stimulated in more or less equal measure. The author has travelled the world, collecting data for this book, meeting interesting parasitologists and discussing some of the weird and fantastically well-adapted parasites they study. Carl Zimmer seems to be on a mission to give us a fresh, new way of looking at parasites - they've had a bad press and he's out to redress the balance. Parasite Rex should open your eyes to the part parasites play in maintaining a balance in the world's ecosystems; how vital they are to the well-being of life on our planet; how some can be used as a kind of 'canary in a mine' to measure the health of an environment and so on. In addition to that, the parasites covered in this book are just incredibly interesting. There were several occasions when I wondered if I should really believe what the author was telling me - the sort of account you might expect to find in some science fiction tale - so I checked other sources and sure enough, some parasites are so outlandishly bizarre that their story is hard to believe.

Zimmer explains how parasites came to be reviled; he describes a selection of species, their life cycles and the diseases they cause - sometimes using actual cases; he explains how they get into and manipulate their hosts (this is where you'll read some of the most astounding accounts that could out-weird any science fiction story); how their hosts fight back; how parasites have driven evolution by forcing their hosts into an 'arms race'; and how we should, in some ways, try to be more like them (the more benign ones at least). Some parasites are deadly of course but many cause no more harm than they have to, because wiping out their hosts would not help their survival. Zimmer compares parasites that use their hosts in this considerate way to humans using this planet in a considerate, non-destructive way. He says there's no shame in being a parasite. If we treated our host (the planet) with the care and consideration that some parasites treat their hosts, our planet's ecosystems would not be in the mess they are today. You have to hand it to the author, that's a new and intriguing way of looking at parasites.

I found his ideas very persuasive and I recommend this book. If you like Parasite Rex, you'll also enjoy Mark Ridley's "The Red Queen" and Arno Karlen's "The Biography of a Germ", both of which I highly recommend.

A whole new way of looking at things, 11 Mar 2002
This book turns our view of life on our planet on to its head. It shows how parasites outnumber "normal" species and, far from being degenerate forms, are incredibly sophisticated and varied. All a bit worrying when you stop and think, but truly fascinating and the book is almost impossible to put down.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 17 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writing ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 16 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writting ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this bokk at anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

Hippity hop! Where to stop?, 14 Nov 2004
Once considered a "degenerate" form of life, parasites are being seen as important indicators of how evolution has progressed over 4 billion years. Zimmer credits them with being the driving force for biological diversity. He substantiates this claim with a sweeping, evocative survey of what is known today about parasites. That, he regretfully concedes, is little enough. What is known is that many early conceptions about parasites needed to be thrown aside as more information about this highly adaptable and widely variable range of organisms emerges.

While we may recoil at the term "parasite", Zimmer identifies but one villain in this book. Ray Lankester, a devoted Edwardian-era evolutionist, postulated that parasites were a "regressive" form of organism. He thought they shed evolutionary advantages as they simplified their bodies through their life cycles. Lankester thus set the tone for generations - biologists avoided studying parasites as offering no additional information revealing evolution's processes. Zimmer explains that since parasites are predators, it was thought they ought to follow the patterns of other predators - stalking prey like lions, or following scent gradients like sharks.

Instead, as more about them came to light, it was revealed how adaptive parasites are. Some, in fact, have developed the talent of making "prey" come to them. One fluke invades a snail early in its career. In an intermediate, but distinctive form, it then moves to an ant. Residing in the ant's brain, at some point it directs the ant to climb a grass stalk. There it waits for the grass, along with the ant and itself, to be eaten by a cow. The fluke cruises through the cow's stomach before taking up residence in the liver as adults, yet another body form. When the eggs are produced, they return to the intestinal tract to be later deposited on the ground, awaited by the snails. Looking at each phase, residing in a different host, you would be inclined to see it as a separate species.

This note is but one of the endless chorus of parasite adaptations Zimmer relates in this excellent book. He joins the refrain of older scientists lamenting the lack of upcoming researchers needed in parasite studies. Unlike the animals we see around us, most parasites have astonishingly varied body forms as they go through the phases of their life cycles. For years, this catalog of body plans was thought to display different species. Only recently has it been demonstrated that these creatures changed shape and function dramatically as they changed living environments. Identifying each stage, the invader's function there, the impact on the host and other elements requires long, patient and dedicated work.

Those of us in the urban world think we can keep parasites at a distance, flooding our farms and wetlands with chemicals to fend them off. This is false confidence, Zimmer reminds us. Parasites are the most adaptable forms of life on the planet. They are as likely to promote change as respond to it. Zimmer cites Robin Dunbar's thesis that grooming for parasites ultimately allowed humans to develop speech and language. He explains how our immune systems and parasites enter a modus vivendi that allows the parasite and host alike to survive. Recognising how that process evolved could lead to better coexistence through "taming" the invaders.

Coexistence with these minute creatures turns out to have many implications. It's now clear that the development of agriculture made human society vulnerable to invaders unknown on the savannah. Human bodies became less robust and mortality rates rose. How far back in time have they had influences on us and what are those? Zimmer suggests that some monkeys have developed "manners" in resource or mate competition. They scream and cavort, but don't scratch or bite rivals for fear of bloodworm infection. Others use particular leaves to clear digestive tracts of infestations. We hear of researchers seeking "genes for" schizophrenia, homosexuality, even "gods". Zimmer thinks we're looking in the wrong place. Instead, he urges, we should identify the "flukes for" these and other aspects of human behaviour and form. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

From revulsion to respect, 08 Aug 2004
If you're interested in life in general and natural wonders in particular, you should find this book fascinating, with your senses of revulsion and respect stimulated in more or less equal measure. The author has travelled the world, collecting data for this book, meeting interesting parasitologists and discussing some of the weird and fantastically well-adapted parasites they study. Carl Zimmer seems to be on a mission to give us a fresh, new way of looking at parasites - they've had a bad press and he's out to redress the balance. Parasite Rex should open your eyes to the part parasites play in maintaining a balance in the world's ecosystems; how vital they are to the well-being of life on our planet; how some can be used as a kind of 'canary in a mine' to measure the health of an environment and so on. In addition to that, the parasites covered in this book are just incredibly interesting. There were several occasions when I wondered if I should really believe what the author was telling me - the sort of account you might expect to find in some science fiction tale - so I checked other sources and sure enough, some parasites are so outlandishly bizarre that their story is hard to believe.

Zimmer explains how parasites came to be reviled; he describes a selection of species, their life cycles and the diseases they cause - sometimes using actual cases; he explains how they get into and manipulate their hosts (this is where you'll read some of the most astounding accounts that could out-weird any science fiction story); how their hosts fight back; how parasites have driven evolution by forcing their hosts into an 'arms race'; and how we should, in some ways, try to be more like them (the more benign ones at least). Some parasites are deadly of course but many cause no more harm than they have to, because wiping out their hosts would not help their survival. Zimmer compares parasites that use their hosts in this considerate way to humans using this planet in a considerate, non-destructive way. He says there's no shame in being a parasite. If we treated our host (the planet) with the care and consideration that some parasites treat their hosts, our planet's ecosystems would not be in the mess they are today. You have to hand it to the author, that's a new and intriguing way of looking at parasites.

I found his ideas very persuasive and I recommend this book. If you like Parasite Rex, you'll also enjoy Mark Ridley's "The Red Queen" and Arno Karlen's "The Biography of a Germ", both of which I highly recommend.

A whole new way of looking at things, 11 Mar 2002
This book turns our view of life on our planet on to its head. It shows how parasites outnumber "normal" species and, far from being degenerate forms, are incredibly sophisticated and varied. All a bit worrying when you stop and think, but truly fascinating and the book is almost impossible to put down.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 17 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writing ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 16 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writting ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this bokk at anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

A must for parasitologists of all levels, 27 Jan 2001
"An Introduction to Parasitology" is one of the most useful textbooks concerning parasitology I've come across as it covers practically every aspect of the topic without cluttering the text with too many details that would make understanding difficult for a beginner. It provides information on where to look if one does need to study a particular part in depth. The illustrations are very informative and as such one does not get lost in lengthy dry text explanations. It is a well recommended read and referal for parasitologists of all levels.

Hippity hop! Where to stop?, 14 Nov 2004
Once considered a "degenerate" form of life, parasites are being seen as important indicators of how evolution has progressed over 4 billion years. Zimmer credits them with being the driving force for biological diversity. He substantiates this claim with a sweeping, evocative survey of what is known today about parasites. That, he regretfully concedes, is little enough. What is known is that many early conceptions about parasites needed to be thrown aside as more information about this highly adaptable and widely variable range of organisms emerges.

While we may recoil at the term "parasite", Zimmer identifies but one villain in this book. Ray Lankester, a devoted Edwardian-era evolutionist, postulated that parasites were a "regressive" form of organism. He thought they shed evolutionary advantages as they simplified their bodies through their life cycles. Lankester thus set the tone for generations - biologists avoided studying parasites as offering no additional information revealing evolution's processes. Zimmer explains that since parasites are predators, it was thought they ought to follow the patterns of other predators - stalking prey like lions, or following scent gradients like sharks.

Instead, as more about them came to light, it was revealed how adaptive parasites are. Some, in fact, have developed the talent of making "prey" come to them. One fluke invades a snail early in its career. In an intermediate, but distinctive form, it then moves to an ant. Residing in the ant's brain, at some point it directs the ant to climb a grass stalk. There it waits for the grass, along with the ant and itself, to be eaten by a cow. The fluke cruises through the cow's stomach before taking up residence in the liver as adults, yet another body form. When the eggs are produced, they return to the intestinal tract to be later deposited on the ground, awaited by the snails. Looking at each phase, residing in a different host, you would be inclined to see it as a separate species.

This note is but one of the endless chorus of parasite adaptations Zimmer relates in this excellent book. He joins the refrain of older scientists lamenting the lack of upcoming researchers needed in parasite studies. Unlike the animals we see around us, most parasites have astonishingly varied body forms as they go through the phases of their life cycles. For years, this catalog of body plans was thought to display different species. Only recently has it been demonstrated that these creatures changed shape and function dramatically as they changed living environments. Identifying each stage, the invader's function there, the impact on the host and other elements requires long, patient and dedicated work.

Those of us in the urban world think we can keep parasites at a distance, flooding our farms and wetlands with chemicals to fend them off. This is false confidence, Zimmer reminds us. Parasites are the most adaptable forms of life on the planet. They are as likely to promote change as respond to it. Zimmer cites Robin Dunbar's thesis that grooming for parasites ultimately allowed humans to develop speech and language. He explains how our immune systems and parasites enter a modus vivendi that allows the parasite and host alike to survive. Recognising how that process evolved could lead to better coexistence through "taming" the invaders.

Coexistence with these minute creatures turns out to have many implications. It's now clear that the development of agriculture made human society vulnerable to invaders unknown on the savannah. Human bodies became less robust and mortality rates rose. How far back in time have they had influences on us and what are those? Zimmer suggests that some monkeys have developed "manners" in resource or mate competition. They scream and cavort, but don't scratch or bite rivals for fear of bloodworm infection. Others use particular leaves to clear digestive tracts of infestations. We hear of researchers seeking "genes for" schizophrenia, homosexuality, even "gods". Zimmer thinks we're looking in the wrong place. Instead, he urges, we should identify the "flukes for" these and other aspects of human behaviour and form. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

From revulsion to respect, 08 Aug 2004
If you're interested in life in general and natural wonders in particular, you should find this book fascinating, with your senses of revulsion and respect stimulated in more or less equal measure. The author has travelled the world, collecting data for this book, meeting interesting parasitologists and discussing some of the weird and fantastically well-adapted parasites they study. Carl Zimmer seems to be on a mission to give us a fresh, new way of looking at parasites - they've had a bad press and he's out to redress the balance. Parasite Rex should open your eyes to the part parasites play in maintaining a balance in the world's ecosystems; how vital they are to the well-being of life on our planet; how some can be used as a kind of 'canary in a mine' to measure the health of an environment and so on. In addition to that, the parasites covered in this book are just incredibly interesting. There were several occasions when I wondered if I should really believe what the author was telling me - the sort of account you might expect to find in some science fiction tale - so I checked other sources and sure enough, some parasites are so outlandishly bizarre that their story is hard to believe.

Zimmer explains how parasites came to be reviled; he describes a selection of species, their life cycles and the diseases they cause - sometimes using actual cases; he explains how they get into and manipulate their hosts (this is where you'll read some of the most astounding accounts that could out-weird any science fiction story); how their hosts fight back; how parasites have driven evolution by forcing their hosts into an 'arms race'; and how we should, in some ways, try to be more like them (the more benign ones at least). Some parasites are deadly of course but many cause no more harm than they have to, because wiping out their hosts would not help their survival. Zimmer compares parasites that use their hosts in this considerate way to humans using this planet in a considerate, non-destructive way. He says there's no shame in being a parasite. If we treated our host (the planet) with the care and consideration that some parasites treat their hosts, our planet's ecosystems would not be in the mess they are today. You have to hand it to the author, that's a new and intriguing way of looking at parasites.

I found his ideas very persuasive and I recommend this book. If you like Parasite Rex, you'll also enjoy Mark Ridley's "The Red Queen" and Arno Karlen's "The Biography of a Germ", both of which I highly recommend.

A whole new way of looking at things, 11 Mar 2002
This book turns our view of life on our planet on to its head. It shows how parasites outnumber "normal" species and, far from being degenerate forms, are incredibly sophisticated and varied. All a bit worrying when you stop and think, but truly fascinating and the book is almost impossible to put down.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 17 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writing ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 16 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writting ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this bokk at anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

A must for parasitologists of all levels, 27 Jan 2001
"An Introduction to Parasitology" is one of the most useful textbooks concerning parasitology I've come across as it covers practically every aspect of the topic without cluttering the text with too many details that would make understanding difficult for a beginner. It provides information on where to look if one does need to study a particular part in depth. The illustrations are very informative and as such one does not get lost in lengthy dry text explanations. It is a well recommended read and referal for parasitologists of all levels.

Good all-rounder!, 29 Dec 2002
Describes most of the major parasite groups... If you're trying to find out detailed information about a specific organism or group of organisms this book will be a great starting point. If you're looking for general information on parasites, their evolution and ecology then you've pretty much found the only book you'll ever need.

Hippity hop! Where to stop?, 14 Nov 2004
Once considered a "degenerate" form of life, parasites are being seen as important indicators of how evolution has progressed over 4 billion years. Zimmer credits them with being the driving force for biological diversity. He substantiates this claim with a sweeping, evocative survey of what is known today about parasites. That, he regretfully concedes, is little enough. What is known is that many early conceptions about parasites needed to be thrown aside as more information about this highly adaptable and widely variable range of organisms emerges.

While we may recoil at the term "parasite", Zimmer identifies but one villain in this book. Ray Lankester, a devoted Edwardian-era evolutionist, postulated that parasites were a "regressive" form of organism. He thought they shed evolutionary advantages as they simplified their bodies through their life cycles. Lankester thus set the tone for generations - biologists avoided studying parasites as offering no additional information revealing evolution's processes. Zimmer explains that since parasites are predators, it was thought they ought to follow the patterns of other predators - stalking prey like lions, or following scent gradients like sharks.

Instead, as more about them came to light, it was revealed how adaptive parasites are. Some, in fact, have developed the talent of making "prey" come to them. One fluke invades a snail early in its career. In an intermediate, but distinctive form, it then moves to an ant. Residing in the ant's brain, at some point it directs the ant to climb a grass stalk. There it waits for the grass, along with the ant and itself, to be eaten by a cow. The fluke cruises through the cow's stomach before taking up residence in the liver as adults, yet another body form. When the eggs are produced, they return to the intestinal tract to be later deposited on the ground, awaited by the snails. Looking at each phase, residing in a different host, you would be inclined to see it as a separate species.

This note is but one of the endless chorus of parasite adaptations Zimmer relates in this excellent book. He joins the refrain of older scientists lamenting the lack of upcoming researchers needed in parasite studies. Unlike the animals we see around us, most parasites have astonishingly varied body forms as they go through the phases of their life cycles. For years, this catalog of body plans was thought to display different species. Only recently has it been demonstrated that these creatures changed shape and function dramatically as they changed living environments. Identifying each stage, the invader's function there, the impact on the host and other elements requires long, patient and dedicated work.

Those of us in the urban world think we can keep parasites at a distance, flooding our farms and wetlands with chemicals to fend them off. This is false confidence, Zimmer reminds us. Parasites are the most adaptable forms of life on the planet. They are as likely to promote change as respond to it. Zimmer cites Robin Dunbar's thesis that grooming for parasites ultimately allowed humans to develop speech and language. He explains how our immune systems and parasites enter a modus vivendi that allows the parasite and host alike to survive. Recognising how that process evolved could lead to better coexistence through "taming" the invaders.

Coexistence with these minute creatures turns out to have many implications. It's now clear that the development of agriculture made human society vulnerable to invaders unknown on the savannah. Human bodies became less robust and mortality rates rose. How far back in time have they had influences on us and what are those? Zimmer suggests that some monkeys have developed "manners" in resource or mate competition. They scream and cavort, but don't scratch or bite rivals for fear of bloodworm infection. Others use particular leaves to clear digestive tracts of infestations. We hear of researchers seeking "genes for" schizophrenia, homosexuality, even "gods". Zimmer thinks we're looking in the wrong place. Instead, he urges, we should identify the "flukes for" these and other aspects of human behaviour and form. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

From revulsion to respect, 08 Aug 2004
If you're interested in life in general and natural wonders in particular, you should find this book fascinating, with your senses of revulsion and respect stimulated in more or less equal measure. The author has travelled the world, collecting data for this book, meeting interesting parasitologists and discussing some of the weird and fantastically well-adapted parasites they study. Carl Zimmer seems to be on a mission to give us a fresh, new way of looking at parasites - they've had a bad press and he's out to redress the balance. Parasite Rex should open your eyes to the part parasites play in maintaining a balance in the world's ecosystems; how vital they are to the well-being of life on our planet; how some can be used as a kind of 'canary in a mine' to measure the health of an environment and so on. In addition to that, the parasites covered in this book are just incredibly interesting. There were several occasions when I wondered if I should really believe what the author was telling me - the sort of account you might expect to find in some science fiction tale - so I checked other sources and sure enough, some parasites are so outlandishly bizarre that their story is hard to believe.

Zimmer explains how parasites came to be reviled; he describes a selection of species, their life cycles and the diseases they cause - sometimes using actual cases; he explains how they get into and manipulate their hosts (this is where you'll read some of the most astounding accounts that could out-weird any science fiction story); how their hosts fight back; how parasites have driven evolution by forcing their hosts into an 'arms race'; and how we should, in some ways, try to be more like them (the more benign ones at least). Some parasites are deadly of course but many cause no more harm than they have to, because wiping out their hosts would not help their survival. Zimmer compares parasites that use their hosts in this considerate way to humans using this planet in a considerate, non-destructive way. He says there's no shame in being a parasite. If we treated our host (the planet) with the care and consideration that some parasites treat their hosts, our planet's ecosystems would not be in the mess they are today. You have to hand it to the author, that's a new and intriguing way of looking at parasites.

I found his ideas very persuasive and I recommend this book. If you like Parasite Rex, you'll also enjoy Mark Ridley's "The Red Queen" and Arno Karlen's "The Biography of a Germ", both of which I highly recommend.

A whole new way of looking at things, 11 Mar 2002
This book turns our view of life on our planet on to its head. It shows how parasites outnumber "normal" species and, far from being degenerate forms, are incredibly sophisticated and varied. All a bit worrying when you stop and think, but truly fascinating and the book is almost impossible to put down.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 17 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writing ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 16 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writting ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this bokk at anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

A must for parasitologists of all levels, 27 Jan 2001
"An Introduction to Parasitology" is one of the most useful textbooks concerning parasitology I've come across as it covers practically every aspect of the topic without cluttering the text with too many details that would make understanding difficult for a beginner. It provides information on where to look if one does need to study a particular part in depth. The illustrations are very informative and as such one does not get lost in lengthy dry text explanations. It is a well recommended read and referal for parasitologists of all levels.

Good all-rounder!, 29 Dec 2002
Describes most of the major parasite groups... If you're trying to find out detailed information about a specific organism or group of organisms this book will be a great starting point. If you're looking for general information on parasites, their evolution and ecology then you've pretty much found the only book you'll ever need.

The little [and some not so little] buggers are everywhere!, 28 Mar 2008
The term "parasite" usually evokes the image of some little critter feasting off some "host" unable to reject it or cast it away. Claude Combes wishes us to revise that simplistic description in favour of a more realistic view. "Parasitism" needs better definition. He prefers a more descriptive term, "mutualism" which covers more biological territory. In this wonderfully conceived and beautifully written account of what science has learned about parasites, he explains how species interact, sometimes to mutual benefit.

The "art" of being a parasite resides in their evolutionary history. Some creatures, once free-living, have managed to occupy others at various surface contact areas or internally. The mitochondria in our cells, the "energy engines" were clearly once free-living bacteria. Invading cells, they paid a "rent" of genes donated to the main genome in the nucleus. The arrangement is apparently incomplete, as mitochondria still make bids for independence. In some cases, the intruder merely occupies the host, generally on its way to another species to enter its reproductive phase. Other invaders proved to interact so well with their hosts that they have become entirely dependent on each other for survival. Combes lays all these situations out for us, describing the process as part of the "evolutionary arms race". That arms race has other applications such as predator-prey interaction, but the result in that scenario has no mutual benefit - the predator wins, eating the prey, or loses and goes hungry.

The key to parasite-host relations lies in two filters. The invader must pass an encounter filter, which might reflect little more than availability. If a potential host is not close to the parasite, there's nothing to attach itself to. If the parasite is species specific - as is the case with the wasp-fig associations, the potential parasite will expire. The host may have mechanisms in place to resist the intrusion. If the parasite gains entry, a "compatibility" filter situation arises. The host may have immunity elements that cast off the intruder. Both these filter systems are the basis of the evolutionary arms race between parasite and host. That situation has been credited with being the foundation for all evolution. The erection of the filters by the host and changes to circumvent them by the parasite may have brought about selection changes. This is the basis for much of what's called "coevolution" - an ongoing process over time in which each species changes in response to changes in the other.

While "parasitism" is generally considered to be one species utilising another's resources - even if the parasite is using the host as a way-station to another host - there are many cases in which the arrangement is more mutual. The wasp-fig liaison is fairly well known now with the wasps acting as pollinators between the fig plants. Except that the wasp lives in galls formed in the fig's branches, it resembles the action of bees with flowers. A less known mutual arrangement is the inhabiting of molluscs by bacteria. The mussel provides a sheltered environment, but feeds on the bacteria. Yet enough are permitted to survive to allow them to reproduce and infest other mussels. As Combes notes, "Who is exploiting whom?" It's a big question, since "parasites" make up more than half the planet's biomass and human beings are subject to more parasites than any other species.

Not all parasites are microscopic nor even small. One of the more recognised "parasites" are the cuckoos of Europe and cowbirds of North America. Both lay eggs in the nests of other species. These, in turn, have sometimes learned to recognise the intruder's eggs and cast them from the nest, or the nest is abandoned with the mating pair relocating to a new site. Less commonly known is a tapeworm inhabiting whale intestines. Combes declares it to be the longest creature living - at 40 metres!

All these elements are presented in a beautifully written [thank you, David Simberloff for an excellent translation] and effectively illustrated book covering a topic many would avoid. They shouldn't. Given that parasites are so complex and prevalent they are creatures and lifestyles we need to know more about. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Hippity hop! Where to stop?, 14 Nov 2004
Once considered a "degenerate" form of life, parasites are being seen as important indicators of how evolution has progressed over 4 billion years. Zimmer credits them with being the driving force for biological diversity. He substantiates this claim with a sweeping, evocative survey of what is known today about parasites. That, he regretfully concedes, is little enough. What is known is that many early conceptions about parasites needed to be thrown aside as more information about this highly adaptable and widely variable range of organisms emerges.

While we may recoil at the term "parasite", Zimmer identifies but one villain in this book. Ray Lankester, a devoted Edwardian-era evolutionist, postulated that parasites were a "regressive" form of organism. He thought they shed evolutionary advantages as they simplified their bodies through their life cycles. Lankester thus set the tone for generations - biologists avoided studying parasites as offering no additional information revealing evolution's processes. Zimmer explains that since parasites are predators, it was thought they ought to follow the patterns of other predators - stalking prey like lions, or following scent gradients like sharks.

Instead, as more about them came to light, it was revealed how adaptive parasites are. Some, in fact, have developed the talent of making "prey" come to them. One fluke invades a snail early in its career. In an intermediate, but distinctive form, it then moves to an ant. Residing in the ant's brain, at some point it directs the ant to climb a grass stalk. There it waits for the grass, along with the ant and itself, to be eaten by a cow. The fluke cruises through the cow's stomach before taking up residence in the liver as adults, yet another body form. When the eggs are produced, they return to the intestinal tract to be later deposited on the ground, awaited by the snails. Looking at each phase, residing in a different host, you would be inclined to see it as a separate species.

This note is but one of the endless chorus of parasite adaptations Zimmer relates in this excellent book. He joins the refrain of older scientists lamenting the lack of upcoming researchers needed in parasite studies. Unlike the animals we see around us, most parasites have astonishingly varied body forms as they go through the phases of their life cycles. For years, this catalog of body plans was thought to display different species. Only recently has it been demonstrated that these creatures changed shape and function dramatically as they changed living environments. Identifying each stage, the invader's function there, the impact on the host and other elements requires long, patient and dedicated work.

Those of us in the urban world think we can keep parasites at a distance, flooding our farms and wetlands with chemicals to fend them off. This is false confidence, Zimmer reminds us. Parasites are the most adaptable forms of life on the planet. They are as likely to promote change as respond to it. Zimmer cites Robin Dunbar's thesis that grooming for parasites ultimately allowed humans to develop speech and language. He explains how our immune systems and parasites enter a modus vivendi that allows the parasite and host alike to survive. Recognising how that process evolved could lead to better coexistence through "taming" the invaders.

Coexistence with these minute creatures turns out to have many implications. It's now clear that the development of agriculture made human society vulnerable to invaders unknown on the savannah. Human bodies became less robust and mortality rates rose. How far back in time have they had influences on us and what are those? Zimmer suggests that some monkeys have developed "manners" in resource or mate competition. They scream and cavort, but don't scratch or bite rivals for fear of bloodworm infection. Others use particular leaves to clear digestive tracts of infestations. We hear of researchers seeking "genes for" schizophrenia, homosexuality, even "gods". Zimmer thinks we're looking in the wrong place. Instead, he urges, we should identify the "flukes for" these and other aspects of human behaviour and form. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

From revulsion to respect, 08 Aug 2004
If you're interested in life in general and natural wonders in particular, you should find this book fascinating, with your senses of revulsion and respect stimulated in more or less equal measure. The author has travelled the world, collecting data for this book, meeting interesting parasitologists and discussing some of the weird and fantastically well-adapted parasites they study. Carl Zimmer seems to be on a mission to give us a fresh, new way of looking at parasites - they've had a bad press and he's out to redress the balance. Parasite Rex should open your eyes to the part parasites play in maintaining a balance in the world's ecosystems; how vital they are to the well-being of life on our planet; how some can be used as a kind of 'canary in a mine' to measure the health of an environment and so on. In addition to that, the parasites covered in this book are just incredibly interesting. There were several occasions when I wondered if I should really believe what the author was telling me - the sort of account you might expect to find in some science fiction tale - so I checked other sources and sure enough, some parasites are so outlandishly bizarre that their story is hard to believe.

Zimmer explains how parasites came to be reviled; he describes a selection of species, their life cycles and the diseases they cause - sometimes using actual cases; he explains how they get into and manipulate their hosts (this is where you'll read some of the most astounding accounts that could out-weird any science fiction story); how their hosts fight back; how parasites have driven evolution by forcing their hosts into an 'arms race'; and how we should, in some ways, try to be more like them (the more benign ones at least). Some parasites are deadly of course but many cause no more harm than they have to, because wiping out their hosts would not help their survival. Zimmer compares parasites that use their hosts in this considerate way to humans using this planet in a considerate, non-destructive way. He says there's no shame in being a parasite. If we treated our host (the planet) with the care and consideration that some parasites treat their hosts, our planet's ecosystems would not be in the mess they are today. You have to hand it to the author, that's a new and intriguing way of looking at parasites.

I found his ideas very persuasive and I recommend this book. If you like Parasite Rex, you'll also enjoy Mark Ridley's "The Red Queen" and Arno Karlen's "The Biography of a Germ", both of which I highly recommend.

A whole new way of looking at things, 11 Mar 2002
This book turns our view of life on our planet on to its head. It shows how parasites outnumber "normal" species and, far from being degenerate forms, are incredibly sophisticated and varied. All a bit worrying when you stop and think, but truly fascinating and the book is almost impossible to put down.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 17 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writing ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 16 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writting ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this bokk at anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

A must for parasitologists of all levels, 27 Jan 2001
"An Introduction to Parasitology" is one of the most useful textbooks concerning parasitology I've come across as it covers practically every aspect of the topic without cluttering the text with too many details that would make understanding difficult for a beginner. It provides information on where to look if one does need to study a particular part in depth. The illustrations are very informative and as such one does not get lost in lengthy dry text explanations. It is a well recommended read and referal for parasitologists of all levels.

Good all-rounder!, 29 Dec 2002
Describes most of the major parasite groups... If you're trying to find out detailed information about a specific organism or group of organisms this book will be a great starting point. If you're looking for general information on parasites, their evolution and ecology then you've pretty much found the only book you'll ever need.

The little [and some not so little] buggers are everywhere!, 28 Mar 2008
The term "parasite" usually evokes the image of some little critter feasting off some "host" unable to reject it or cast it away. Claude Combes wishes us to revise that simplistic description in favour of a more realistic view. "Parasitism" needs better definition. He prefers a more descriptive term, "mutualism" which covers more biological territory. In this wonderfully conceived and beautifully written account of what science has learned about parasites, he explains how species interact, sometimes to mutual benefit.

The "art" of being a parasite resides in their evolutionary history. Some creatures, once free-living, have managed to occupy others at various surface contact areas or internally. The mitochondria in our cells, the "energy engines" were clearly once free-living bacteria. Invading cells, they paid a "rent" of genes donated to the main genome in the nucleus. The arrangement is apparently incomplete, as mitochondria still make bids for independence. In some cases, the intruder merely occupies the host, generally on its way to another species to enter its reproductive phase. Other invaders proved to interact so well with their hosts that they have become entirely dependent on each other for survival. Combes lays all these situations out for us, describing the process as part of the "evolutionary arms race". That arms race has other applications such as predator-prey interaction, but the result in that scenario has no mutual benefit - the predator wins, eating the prey, or loses and goes hungry.

The key to parasite-host relations lies in two filters. The invader must pass an encounter filter, which might reflect little more than availability. If a potential host is not close to the parasite, there's nothing to attach itself to. If the parasite is species specific - as is the case with the wasp-fig associations, the potential parasite will expire. The host may have mechanisms in place to resist the intrusion. If the parasite gains entry, a "compatibility" filter situation arises. The host may have immunity elements that cast off the intruder. Both these filter systems are the basis of the evolutionary arms race between parasite and host. That situation has been credited with being the foundation for all evolution. The erection of the filters by the host and changes to circumvent them by the parasite may have brought about selection changes. This is the basis for much of what's called "coevolution" - an ongoing process over time in which each species changes in response to changes in the other.

While "parasitism" is generally considered to be one species utilising another's resources - even if the parasite is using the host as a way-station to another host - there are many cases in which the arrangement is more mutual. The wasp-fig liaison is fairly well known now with the wasps acting as pollinators between the fig plants. Except that the wasp lives in galls formed in the fig's branches, it resembles the action of bees with flowers. A less known mutual arrangement is the inhabiting of molluscs by bacteria. The mussel provides a sheltered environment, but feeds on the bacteria. Yet enough are permitted to survive to allow them to reproduce and infest other mussels. As Combes notes, "Who is exploiting whom?" It's a big question, since "parasites" make up more than half the planet's biomass and human beings are subject to more parasites than any other species.

Not all parasites are microscopic nor even small. One of the more recognised "parasites" are the cuckoos of Europe and cowbirds of North America. Both lay eggs in the nests of other species. These, in turn, have sometimes learned to recognise the intruder's eggs and cast them from the nest, or the nest is abandoned with the mating pair relocating to a new site. Less commonly known is a tapeworm inhabiting whale intestines. Combes declares it to be the longest creature living - at 40 metres!

All these elements are presented in a beautifully written [thank you, David Simberloff for an excellent translation] and effectively illustrated book covering a topic many would avoid. They shouldn't. Given that parasites are so complex and prevalent they are creatures and lifestyles we need to know more about. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Excellent introduction to immunoparasitology, 22 Feb 2003
As a student studying both parasites and immunology for the first time, this is an excellent book. It gives an introduction to immunology for those who are new to the field, followed by an overview of responses to parasites before dealing with specific parasites. The main parasites covered in undergraduate classes are here i.e plasmodium, schistosomes, nematodes etc. and the chapters here give a more in depth look at the response to each.
There is a useful section at the back with recommended books and journals, as well as websites.
If you're new to parasites and immunology - this is the book for you!

Hippity hop! Where to stop?, 14 Nov 2004
Once considered a "degenerate" form of life, parasites are being seen as important indicators of how evolution has progressed over 4 billion years. Zimmer credits them with being the driving force for biological diversity. He substantiates this claim with a sweeping, evocative survey of what is known today about parasites. That, he regretfully concedes, is little enough. What is known is that many early conceptions about parasites needed to be thrown aside as more information about this highly adaptable and widely variable range of organisms emerges.

While we may recoil at the term "parasite", Zimmer identifies but one villain in this book. Ray Lankester, a devoted Edwardian-era evolutionist, postulated that parasites were a "regressive" form of organism. He thought they shed evolutionary advantages as they simplified their bodies through their life cycles. Lankester thus set the tone for generations - biologists avoided studying parasites as offering no additional information revealing evolution's processes. Zimmer explains that since parasites are predators, it was thought they ought to follow the patterns of other predators - stalking prey like lions, or following scent gradients like sharks.

Instead, as more about them came to light, it was revealed how adaptive parasites are. Some, in fact, have developed the talent of making "prey" come to them. One fluke invades a snail early in its career. In an intermediate, but distinctive form, it then moves to an ant. Residing in the ant's brain, at some point it directs the ant to climb a grass stalk. There it waits for the grass, along with the ant and itself, to be eaten by a cow. The fluke cruises through the cow's stomach before taking up residence in the liver as adults, yet another body form. When the eggs are produced, they return to the intestinal tract to be later deposited on the ground, awaited by the snails. Looking at each phase, residing in a different host, you would be inclined to see it as a separate species.

This note is but one of the endless chorus of parasite adaptations Zimmer relates in this excellent book. He joins the refrain of older scientists lamenting the lack of upcoming researchers needed in parasite studies. Unlike the animals we see around us, most parasites have astonishingly varied body forms as they go through the phases of their life cycles. For years, this catalog of body plans was thought to display different species. Only recently has it been demonstrated that these creatures changed shape and function dramatically as they changed living environments. Identifying each stage, the invader's function there, the impact on the host and other elements requires long, patient and dedicated work.

Those of us in the urban world think we can keep parasites at a distance, flooding our farms and wetlands with chemicals to fend them off. This is false confidence, Zimmer reminds us. Parasites are the most adaptable forms of life on the planet. They are as likely to promote change as respond to it. Zimmer cites Robin Dunbar's thesis that grooming for parasites ultimately allowed humans to develop speech and language. He explains how our immune systems and parasites enter a modus vivendi that allows the parasite and host alike to survive. Recognising how that process evolved could lead to better coexistence through "taming" the invaders.

Coexistence with these minute creatures turns out to have many implications. It's now clear that the development of agriculture made human society vulnerable to invaders unknown on the savannah. Human bodies became less robust and mortality rates rose. How far back in time have they had influences on us and what are those? Zimmer suggests that some monkeys have developed "manners" in resource or mate competition. They scream and cavort, but don't scratch or bite rivals for fear of bloodworm infection. Others use particular leaves to clear digestive tracts of infestations. We hear of researchers seeking "genes for" schizophrenia, homosexuality, even "gods". Zimmer thinks we're looking in the wrong place. Instead, he urges, we should identify the "flukes for" these and other aspects of human behaviour and form. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

From revulsion to respect, 08 Aug 2004
If you're interested in life in general and natural wonders in particular, you should find this book fascinating, with your senses of revulsion and respect stimulated in more or less equal measure. The author has travelled the world, collecting data for this book, meeting interesting parasitologists and discussing some of the weird and fantastically well-adapted parasites they study. Carl Zimmer seems to be on a mission to give us a fresh, new way of looking at parasites - they've had a bad press and he's out to redress the balance. Parasite Rex should open your eyes to the part parasites play in maintaining a balance in the world's ecosystems; how vital they are to the well-being of life on our planet; how some can be used as a kind of 'canary in a mine' to measure the health of an environment and so on. In addition to that, the parasites covered in this book are just incredibly interesting. There were several occasions when I wondered if I should really believe what the author was telling me - the sort of account you might expect to find in some science fiction tale - so I checked other sources and sure enough, some parasites are so outlandishly bizarre that their story is hard to believe.

Zimmer explains how parasites came to be reviled; he describes a selection of species, their life cycles and the diseases they cause - sometimes using actual cases; he explains how they get into and manipulate their hosts (this is where you'll read some of the most astounding accounts that could out-weird any science fiction story); how their hosts fight back; how parasites have driven evolution by forcing their hosts into an 'arms race'; and how we should, in some ways, try to be more like them (the more benign ones at least). Some parasites are deadly of course but many cause no more harm than they have to, because wiping out their hosts would not help their survival. Zimmer compares parasites that use their hosts in this considerate way to humans using this planet in a considerate, non-destructive way. He says there's no shame in being a parasite. If we treated our host (the planet) with the care and consideration that some parasites treat their hosts, our planet's ecosystems would not be in the mess they are today. You have to hand it to the author, that's a new and intriguing way of looking at parasites.

I found his ideas very persuasive and I recommend this book. If you like Parasite Rex, you'll also enjoy Mark Ridley's "The Red Queen" and Arno Karlen's "The Biography of a Germ", both of which I highly recommend.

A whole new way of looking at things, 11 Mar 2002
This book turns our view of life on our planet on to its head. It shows how parasites outnumber "normal" species and, far from being degenerate forms, are incredibly sophisticated and varied. All a bit worrying when you stop and think, but truly fascinating and the book is almost impossible to put down.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 17 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writing ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

Excellent, wide-ranging insight, 16 Oct 2000
I bought this book on the basis of a favourable review in New Scientist. The book is written in a very accessible style, making it very readable by non-scientists and scientists alike. The story writting ability of Carl Zimmer is a welcome change from some of the supposed popular science authors. Many of the storys are deliciously gruesome, but also educational, as Carl explores the complex relationship of parasite and host from many angles. The role of parasitism in shaping eveolution is considered as are the physiological and behavioural consequences of a parastic relationship. My one criticism is that Carl does not differentiate between parasites (keep their hosts alive) and parasitoids (intentionally kill their hosts), a subtle distinction that I felt would have helped in his explanations. This is a minor issue and certainly does not detract from an excellent book. I would thoroughly recommend this bokk at anyone who is even vaguely interested in parasites and modern diseases.

A must for parasitologists of all levels, 27 Jan 2001
"An Introduction to Parasitology" is one of the most useful textbooks concerning parasitology I've come across as it covers practically every aspect of the topic without cluttering the text with too many details that would make understanding difficult for a beginner. It provides information on where to look if one does need to study a particular part in depth. The illustrations are very informative and as such one does not get lost in lengthy dry text explanations. It is a well recommended read and referal for parasitologists of all levels.

Good all-rounder!, 29 Dec 2002
Describes most of the major parasite groups... If you're trying to find out detailed information about a specific organism or group of organisms this book will be a great starting point. If you're looking for general information on parasites, their evolution and ecology then you've pretty much found the only book you'll ever need.

The little [and some not so little] buggers are everywhere!, 28 Mar 2008
The term "parasite" usually evokes the image of some little critter feasting off some "host" unable to reject it or cast it away. Claude Combes wishes us to revise that simplistic description in favour of a more realistic view. "Parasitism" needs better definition. He prefers a more descriptive term, "mutualism" which covers more biological territory. In this wonderfully conceived and beautifully written account of what science has learned about parasites, he explains how species interact, sometimes to mutual benefit.

The "art" of being a parasite resides in their evolutionary history. Some creatures, once free-living, have managed to occupy others at various surface contact areas or internally. The mitochondria in our cells, the "energy engines" were clearly once free-living bacteria. Invading cells, they paid a "rent" of genes donated to the main genome in the nucleus. The arrangement is apparently incomplete, as mitochondria still make bids for independence. In some cases, the intruder merely occupies the host, generally on its way to another species to enter its reproductive phase. Other invaders proved to interact so well with their hosts that they have become entirely dependent on each other for survival. Combes lays all these situations out for us, describing the process as part of the "evolutionary arms race". That arms race has other applications such as predator-prey interaction, but the result in that scenario has no mutual benefit - the predator wins, eating the prey, or loses and goes hungry.

The key to parasite-host relations lies in two filters. The invader must pass an encounter filter, which might reflect little more than availability. If a potential host is not close to the parasite, there's nothing to attach itself to. If the parasite is species specific - as is the case with the wasp-fig associations, the potential parasite will expire. The host may have mechanisms in place to resist the intrusion. If the parasite gains entry, a "compatibility" filter situation arises. The host may have immunity elements that cast off the intruder. Both these filter systems are the basis of the evolutionary arms race between parasite and host. That situation has been credited with being the foundation for all evolution. The erection of the filters by the host and changes to circumvent them by the parasite may have brought about selection changes. This is the basis for much of what's called "coevolution" - an ongoing process over time in which each species changes in response to changes in the other.

While "parasitism" is generally considered to be one species utilising another's resources - even if the parasite is using the host as a way-station to another host - there are many cases in which the arrangement is more mutual. The wasp-fig liaison is fairly well known now with the wasps acting as pollinators between the fig plants. Except that the wasp lives in galls formed in the fig's branches, it resembles the action of bees with flowers. A less known mutual arrangement is the inhabiting of molluscs by bacteria. The mussel provides a sheltered environment, but feeds on the bacteria. Yet enough are permitted to survive to allow them to reproduce and infest other mussels. As Combes notes, "Who is exploiting whom?" It's a big question, since "parasites" make up more than half the planet's biomass and human beings are subject to more parasites than any other species.

Not all parasites are microscopic nor even small. One of the more recognised "parasites" are the cuckoos of Europe and cowbirds of North America. Both lay eggs in the nests of other species. These, in turn, have sometimes learned to recognise the intruder's eggs and cast them from the nest, or the nest is abandoned with the mating pair relocating to a new site. Less commonly known is a tapeworm inhabiting whale intestines. Combes declares it to be the longest creature living - at 40 metres!

All these elements are presented in a beautifully written [thank you, David Simberloff for an excellent translation] and effectively illustrated book covering a topic many would avoid. They shouldn't. Given that parasites are so complex and prevalent they are creatures and lifestyles we need to know more about. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Excellent introduction to immunoparasitology, 22 Feb 2003
As a student studying both parasites and immunology for the first time, this is an excellent book. It gives an introduction to immunology for those who are new to the field, followed by an overview of responses to parasites before dealing with specific parasites. The main parasites covered in undergraduate classes are here i.e plasmodium, schistosomes, nematodes etc. and the chapters here give a more in depth look at the response to each.
There is a useful section at the back with recommended books and journals, as well as websites.
If you're new to parasites and immunology - this is the book for you!

not a worthwhile purchase, 20 Mar 2008
i study biology at university and i bought this book to help me with my parasitology module. I dont recomemd this book, the layout is hap-hazard with no direct structure, long chunks of text which are hard work to get through, unhelpful diagrams. if you want to look up something as simple as reproductive methods you have to search through all the separate group to get the few pieces of information...
my advice, spend your money elsewhere

Hippity hop! Where to stop?, 14 Nov 2004
Once considered a "degenerate" form of life, parasites are being seen as important indicators of how evolution has progressed over 4 billion years. Zimmer credits them with being the driving force for biological diversity. He substantiates this claim with a sweeping, evocative survey of what is known today about parasites. That, he regretfully concedes, is little enough. What is known is that many early conceptions about parasites needed to be thrown aside as more information about this highly adaptable and widely variable range of organisms emerges.

While we may recoil at the term "parasite", Zimmer identifies but one villain in this book. Ray Lankester, a devoted Edwardian-era evolutionist, postulated that parasites were a "regressive" form of organism. He thought they shed evolutionary advantages as they simplified their bodies through their life cycles. Lankester thus set the tone for generations - biologists avoided studying parasites as offering no additional information revealing evolution's processes. Zimmer explains that since parasites are predators, it was thought they ought to follow the patterns of other predators - stalking prey like lions, or following scent gradients like sharks.

Instead, as more about them came to light, it was revealed how adaptive parasites are. Some, in fact, have developed the talent of making "prey" come to them. One fluke invades a snail early in its career. In an intermediate, but distinctive form, it then moves to an ant. Residing in the ant's brain, at some point it directs the ant to climb a grass stalk. There it waits for the grass, along with the ant and itself, to be eaten by a cow. The fluke cruises through the cow's stomach before taking up residence in the liver as adults, yet another body form. When the eggs are produced, they return to the intestinal tract to be later deposited on the ground, awaited by the snails. Looking at each phase, residing in a different host, you would be inclined to see it as a separate species.

This note is but one of the endless chorus of parasite adaptations Zimmer relates in this excellent book. He joins the refrain of older scientists lamenting the lack of upcoming researchers needed in parasite studies. Unlike the animals we see around us, most parasites have astonishingly varied body forms as they go through the phases of their life cycles. For years, this catalog of body plans was thought to display different species. Only recently has it been demonstrated that these creatures changed shape and function dramatically as they changed living environments. Identifying each stage, the invader's function there, t