Years ago, when Martinus W Beijerinck in Delft and Friedrich Loeffler on Riems Island discovered a new class of infectious agents in plants and animals, a new discipline was born. This book, a compilation of papers written by recognized scientists, gives an impression of the early days and talks about the state of viology since the pioneer period.

One hundred years ago, when Martinus W. Beijerinck in Delft and Friedrich Loeffler on Riems Island discovered a new class of infectious agents in plants and animals, a new discipline was born. This book, a compilation of papers written by well-recognized scientists, gives an impression of the early days, the pioneer period and the current state of virology. Recent developments and future perspectives of this discipline are sketched against a historic background. With contributions by A. Alcami, D. Baulcombe, F. Brown, L. W. Enquist, H. Feldmann, A. Garcia-Sastre, D. Griffiths, M. C. Horzinek, A. van Kammen, H. D. Klenk, F. A. Murphy, T. Muster, R. O'Neill, P. Palese, C. Patience, R. Rott, H.- P. Schmiedebach, S. Schneider-Schaulies, G. L. Smith, J. A. Symons, Y. Takeuchi, V. ter Meulen, P. J. W. Venables, V. E. Volchkov, V. A. Volchkova, R. A. Weiss, W. Wittmann, and H. Zheng.

Beijerinck?s contribution to the virus concept ? an introduction (A. van Kammen) ? The Prussian State and microbiological research ? Friedrich Loeffler and his approach to the "invisible" virus (H. P. Schmiedebach) ? The legacy of Friedrich Loeffler ? The Institute on the Isle of Riems (W. Wittmann) ? The post-Loeffler-Frosch era: contribution of German virologists (R. Rott) ? Importance and impact of veterinary virology in Germany (M. C. Horzinek) ? The evolution of viruses, the emergence of viral diseases: a synthesis that Martinus Beijerinck might enjoy (F. A. Murphy) ? Life beyond eradication: veterinary viruses in basic science (L. W. Enquist) ? Immune modulation by proteins secreted from cells infected by vaccinia virus (G. L. Smith, J. A. Symons, A. Alcami) ? Learning from our foes: a novel vaccine concept for influenza virus (P. Palese, T. Muster, H. Zheng, R. O?Neill, A. Garcia-Sastre) ? Pathogenic aspects of measles virus infections (S. Schneider-Schaulies, V. ter Meulen) ? The glycoproteins of Marburg and Ebola virus and their potential roles in pathogenesis (H. Feldmann, V. E. Volchkov, V. A. Volchkova, H.-D. Klenk) ? Retroviruses: ancient and modern (R. A. Weiss, D. Griffiths, Y. Takeuchi, C. Patience, P. J. W. Venables) ? Foot-and-mouth disease and beyond: vaccine design, past, present and future (F. Brown) ? Viruses and gene silencing in plants (D. Baulcombe) ? Viroids and the nature of viroid diseases (T. O. Diener)