Viruses are big news. From pandemics such as HIV, swine flu, and SARS, we are constantly being bombarded with information about new lethal infections. In this Very Short Introduction, Dorothy Crawford demonstrates from their discovery and the unravelling of their intricate structures, how clever these entities really are.

What are viruses? -- Viruses are everywhere -- Kill or be killed -- Emerging virus infections: vertebrate-transmitted viruses -- Emerging virus infections: arthropod-transmitted viruses -- Epidemics and pandemics -- Persistent viruses -- Tumour viruses -- Turning the tables -- Viruses past, present, and future.