It is now forty years since the discovery of AIDS, but its origins continue to puzzle doctors and scientists. In this updated edition of his acclaimed book, Jacques Pépin traces the origins and amplification of AIDS, and describes the events that transformed a chimpanzee virus into a global pandemic.

An updated edition of Jacques Pépin's acclaimed account of the events that transformed a chimpanzee virus into a global pandemic.

'This is scientific history at its most compelling ? He writes with grace and feeling, and makes accessible the scientific and clinical issues. Above all, he comes across as a humane and caring doctor. This is a major contribution to our understanding of the scourge that has defined our times.' Times Literary Supplement