Soap and Water & Commonsense: The Definitive Guide to Viruses, Bacteria, Parasites and Disease By Dr Bonnie Henry

In the spirit of bestsellers such as Guns, Germs, and Steel, The Coming Plague, and The Ghost Map, Canadian Dr Bonnie Henry offers a lively and fascinating account of the evolution of common sickness and disease.

She takes us on a tour through the halls of ‘Microbes Inc’, a global corporation that has evolved and adapted over billions of years to rule the earth.

From viruses to bacteria to parasites and fungi, Dr. Henry dispels some of the all-too-common myths and misinformation about good bugs and bad bugs, and offers an eye-opening account of the history of disease as well as up-to-date and accurate information on everything from the bugs we breathe to the bugs we eat and drink to the bugs in our backyard and beyond.

"Countless hours of misery are caused by bugs called viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites," she writes, (but) "much of this suffering is preventable."

The book’s title is evidence of that fact. Dr Henry is a strong advocate of the major benefits of washing hands well with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to prevent a multitude of diseases.

She cautions, however, against using soap or detergent with antibacterial agents because the antibacterial agents can lead to "antibiotic-resistant bugs, which can then cause hard-to-treat infections."

Indeed, this area embodies one of Henry’s biggest concerns: "By taking unnecessary medications," she observes, "people have provided the bacteria in their bodies with a golden opportunity to determine the way the antibiotic works, thereby exerting selective pressure on bugs that can resist the drug."