Viral populations within an infected host are composed of viral particles with a spectrum of genetic mutations rather than a unified genome. This phenomenon is referred to as viral “quasispecies,” and has been useful for the understanding of viral transmission and early detection of new viral variants. Next generation sequencing (NGS) has enabled the study of these quasispecies for many viral species, notably Influenza A and B, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Foot and Mouth …

During the winter of 2003-2004, a mysterious disease rampaged through the United States and Russia unknown to a majority of people, killing thousands of people, and maiming scores of livestock. This is the story of the least-known epidemic in history, as told by the people who conquered the illness in the end.