The Perfect Predator: A Compelling Memoir by Steffanie Strathdee and Thomas Patterson

Janet Armstrong: Very informative about a topic we should all be aware of. I feel grateful they decided to tell their story.

United States on Jan 25, 2024

Peace4All: My then-12 year old daughter implored me to buy The Perfect Predator despite it being an adult thriller and love story. How could I deny her reading such a momentous book about both a woman scientist AND her favorite subject: bacteriophages? She read the book the first time in one sitting. The book was a revelation as she explained euphorically to her unscientific-minded mom (and subsequently to family, friends, teachers, friends’ parents, anyone who will listen for that matter). Dr. Strathdee saved her husband with her out-of-the-box thinking and persistence in the face of insurmountable odds. Dr. Patterson is living proof that bacteriophages can save lives. And together, they helped legitimize bacteriophages in medicine. To my daughter, Dr. Strathdee is legendary, inspiring her to become a scientist someday who heals the world through bacteriophages. My daughter loves heroic tales. There are so many heroes in this story. The selfless collaboration of scientists, doctors and medical professionals is refreshingly heartwarming. A riveting story of extraordinary love and extraordinary science.

United States on Nov 06, 2023

Mr A. L. Harrison: I bought this after reading 'The good virus' by Tom Ireland (also a fantastic read). The Perfect Predator tells the story of a terrifying super bug infection and the steps taken to eventually defeat it. Easy to read even if you are not from a scientific background, and really gripping as a memoir. I heartily recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in medicine or public health.

United Kingdom on Aug 14, 2023

Atanu BarhAtanu Barh: The media could not be loaded.  Horrible experience! This is a fake product, it’s nothing but a binding xerox copy of the original one for which I spent moke than 1000 bucks! This is disgusting, I request Amazon to look into this matter and please initiate a refund. Since there was no option of return ( only replace), I couldn’t apply for the same, but I can’t accept a photo copy of an original book.

India on Nov 06, 2021

Andrea FalzonAndrea Falzon: This book extraordinarily covers two major communication areas and three are the adjectives that i can use to describe this masterpiece: breathtaking, inspiring and mindblowing.
As a person of 25 years old, i appreciated every level of emotion this book has passed me. The precision in the details, the care for the chosen words and the Love that permeates every single page make reading a journey.
As a Pharmacist, i understood even more the urgency and seriousness of Antimicrobial Resistance. Stef. race to save her husband is a real call to action for everyone of us involved in the healthcare system: we have to promote ourselves to guardians of antimicrobial stewardship.
I recommend reading this book to everyone, at any level.

Italy on Dec 27, 2019

L. Alexander: “The Perfect Predator” is a gripping true life story of a scientist’s desperate race to find a cure for her husband’s multi-drug resistant bacterial infection. The growing global threat of multi-drug resistant infections, or “Superbugs”, has been widely reported in the media. This book provides a first hand account of the havoc that an untreatable bacterial infection can wreak on the human body and the challenges these infections pose for health care professionals.

Most of the story is told by Steffanie Strathdee, a Professor of Epidemiology. Her husband and co-author Tom Patterson (also a scientist) becomes ill while they are vacationing in Egypt. It soon becomes clear that this is not food poisoning or a stomach virus. Patterson is initially diagnosed with pancreatitis in Egypt, and is airlifted to Frankfurt where he is diagnosed with an infected 15 mm cyst teaming with a germ described by the doctors as “the worst bacteria on the planet.”

Patterson is stabilized and transferred to a hospital near their home in San Diego. Lab tests reveal that the infection has spread throughout his body, and the bacterium is resistant to all...

United States on Sep 13, 2019

AlejandraAlejandra: Amazing book! I was skeptical at first, having read about this medical case in the media - was it all the same in book form now? But I was curious, and thought I would read it if only because Strathdee has one of the best science Twitter feeds ever.

But what I got was so so much more! My doubts about this work were completely unfounded. This book is an EXPERIENCE, I learned, and I am sure this will be the case for anyone who reads The Perfect Predator, regardless of their scientific background. I am a microbiologist and was beyond impressed in the effort that went into the depiction of the science behind this story. At the same time, I also got an opportunity to feel and reflect on the tragedy and the glory of Patterson's and Strathdee's battle. It is a serious rollercoaster of emotions. This book is a complete view of the iceberg the media had presented. It is emotional, it is strong and not to be missed.

I have to say, I loved the I interludes, the lyric writing was fabulous... Or should I say, the lytic writing? Ok, I will see myself out.

Germany on Jun 13, 2019

Karen Roberts: I suspect some may not appreciate how important this story is! Since many alive today, including physicians, have not lived in a time preantibiotics or yet appreciate a coming time of “post antibiotics “ we may not appreciate the danger of multi antibiotic resistance. Most of us have lived in a time of easy access to antibiotics to treat any and all infections. Unfortunately we have abused these medications because we did not appreciate the rapidity of the development of resistance possible with the use of them. We have been in a free for all, where antibiotics have been used for any little sniffle or scratchy throat, resistant to the admonishment that most of these are caused by viruses, untouched by antibiotics! Alexander Flemming, who discovered penicillin, warned about the development of this resistance. His warnings fell on deaf ears. So, as bacteria developed resistance the scientific community found new antibiotics and for awhile kept ahead of infectious agents. But now add in the agricultural community which learned that adding antibiotics to animal feed increased growth, which increased yields. Now, uncontrolled use skyrocketed around the world, and...

United States on May 03, 2019

Gabriela: A page turner! In this book Strathdee tells about her race against the clock to save her husband’s life after he developed a multidrug resistant infection. After all antibiotic treatments failed, she enlists the help of various doctors, researchers and laboratories across the world to try to save his life using phages and try to quickly develop an experimental therapy before it’s too late. This is a story about love and commitment, but also about courage, collaboration, and jaw-dropping scientific development.
Most importantly, this book sheds light on the risk that multidrug resistant organisms pose to humans –a public health risk that has been flying under the radar for too long - and, unlike most superbug-related stories, it points us to a long forgotten treatment that could help in the fight against superbugs: phage therapy.
The authors masterfully explain highly complex evolutionary and medical concepts and processes in an accessible language. I really enjoyed the blend of personal story, the science, and the history of various scientific and medical developments. The Perfect Predator is an example of science and risk communication done right.

Canada on Apr 23, 2019