The Molecular Epidemiology of Human Viruses

Advances in DNA sequencing and phylogenetic inference have created powerful methods to investigate many dangerous human viruses. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the use of genetic methods in molecular epidemiology and in-depth examples of analyses from many viruses. Key topics included in this book are: why genetic methods to track epidemiology are useful and how they can be used in disease control; the importance of sample design; DNA sequencing and other methods for genetic characterization; genetic databases and their function as reference banks and information centers; and how genetic analysis has been used to study the molecular epidemiology of both RNA and DNA viruses. It examines how molecular techniques have been applied to monitor the spread of hepatitis viruses. It provides in depth discussions of additional viruses including influenza, polio, human T-cell lymphotropic viruses, rabies, rotavirus, measles and respiratory syncytial virus, human papilloma virus, flavi viruses, hantaviruses, and potentially new and emerging human viruses. This book could be of interest to researchers in the fields of infectious disease, virology, microbiology, evolutionary biology, epidemiology and molecular biology as well as anyone interested in tracking the spread of disease.