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, H. Zheng

Beijerinck's contribution to the virus concept - an introduction.- The Prussian State and microbiological research - Friedrich Loeffler and his approach to the "invisible" virus.- The legacy of Friedrich Loeffler - the Institute on the Isle of Riems.- The post-Loeffler-Frosch era: contribution of German virologists.- Importance and impact of veterinary virology in Germany.- The evolution of viruses, the emergence of viral diseases: a synthesis that Martinus Beijerinck might enjoy.- Life beyond eradication: veterinary viruses in basic science.- Immune modulation by proteins secreted from cells infected by vaccinia virus.- Learning from our foes: a novel vaccine concept for influenza virus.- Pathogenic aspects of measles virus infections.- The glycoproteins of Marburg and Ebola virus and their potential roles in pathogenesis.- Retroviruses: ancient and modern.- Foot-and-mouth disease and beyond: vaccine design, past, present and future.- Viruses and gene silencing in plants.- Viroids and the nature of viroid diseases.