Several Worlds: Reminiscences and Reflections of a Chinese-American Physician

This fascinating book comprises the autobiographical reminiscences and reflections of Monto Ho, M.D., a Chinese-born, American physician and widely recognized infectious disease specialist. It presents a remarkable opportunity to understand his personal history, the development of his scholarly qualities, and the logic of his scientific and cultural passions. A leader in the field over the past half a century, the author was a pioneer investigator of interferon. He made major contributions to the pathogenesis of virus infections in the immunocompromised host, especially of cytomegalovirus and other herpesvirus infections in organ transplant recipients. He built a strong science-based infectious diseases group at the University of Pittsburgh in the US. In his "second career" in Taiwan, Monto Ho changed the direction of his research to address problems that were important to that country. He recognized the threat posed by the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the need to enhance the quality of training of infectious diseases physicians. These efforts paid unexpected dividends. The appropriate use of antibiotics has become an important national health priority, and there is now intense research on the devastating outbreaks of enterovirus 71 in children.