The Bartonellas and Peruvian Medicine explores the events surrounding the discovery of the etio-pathogenic agent of the Oroya Fever, also known as Peruvian Verruga or Carrión’s disease (an endemic infectious disease in South America’s Andean regions) by Dr. Alberto Leonardo Barton. Graciela S. Alarcón and Renato D. Alarcón recount Barton’s persistent work against skepticism, obstacles, and limitations imposed by members of Peru’s medical elites of the time, as well as his eventual successful scientific career and the delayed but well-deserved global recognition of his contributions.
 
The book is the result of intense bibliographic research and of original documents aimed not just at the examination of Barton’s life and work, but also the examination of today’s perspectives and future work in the field of infectious and “neglected” diseases. The authors address current scientific information on the relevant bacteria Bartonella bacilliformis, besides current research and clinical status of the other Bartonellas, making it a useful and practical text for those studying infectious diseases. 

GRACIELA S. ALARCON, MD, MPH, MACR, is the Jane Knight Lowe Chair of Medicine in Rheumatology, Emeritus at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and emeritus professor of medicine at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Perú.
 
RENATO D. ALARCON, MD, MPH, is an emeritus professor of psychiatry and psychology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, and the Honorio Delgado Chair (Psychiatry) at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Perú. 

“A detailed masterpiece that unveils the life events of the man who discovered the etiological agent of Carrión’s disease, a malady that killed thousands of railroad workers in the highlands of Peru. It narrates concisely and with precision, with well documented sources, the tenacity of a researcher. The authors take us on an inspirational journey of a scientist determined to succeed in the face of adversity. A must read for researchers who are seeking to improve the well-being of their peers through their scientific research as a priority, instead of the laureate recognitions of society.”

“The Bartonellas and Peruvian Medicine provides historical depth to the fascinating saga of the elucidation of Oroya fever and Verruga Peruana, the 'national disease' of Perú. The authors reveal, in an eminently readable and richly illustrated format, the personalities and achievements of Alberto Barton, Daniel Alcides Carrión and other key figures in a sometimes turbulent voyage of discovery. This book could very well become a classic of Latin American medical history.”