The book is widely regarded as an influential work on the subject and is cited as the bible of virology by many virologists.

[1] Fields was the senior editor for the first three editions of the textbook.

[2] After his death in 1995, subsequent editions have retained his name in the title.

The sixth edition was published in 2013 by Wolters Kluwer under the Lippincott Williams & Wilkins imprint and it was edited by David M. Knipe and Peter M. Howley.

[3] The fourth volume including ebook was published in June 2023.