Yes we partly live in France but there are no cases at the moment although the regional papers are pointing out the threats posed by the proximity to African nations. if Ebola does break out here, then it seems to me that I should be banned from re entering the UK or put into quarantine. I,don't have an issue with that, this virus is a real nasty.
I wonder if the lovely folk over in IS are going to infect themselves and then effectively become walking hosts. They could come into contact with hundreds of people in the few days before they start to feel rough.
.
This is pretty much the story of a book just read. Quite up to date as mentioned the cases of the us citizens being treated back in the us.
I was just discussing with the missus what we would do if there was a major outbreak in London. Gathering the kids and heading for the coast seems to be the plan. School playgrounds are like petri dishes at the best of times and that's the last place I'd want my little ones.
I was just discussing with the missus what we would do if there was a major outbreak in London. Gathering the kids and heading for the coast seems to be the plan. School playgrounds are like petri dishes at the best of times and that's the last place I'd want my little ones.
Was thinking about this myself...
there is a very good book by Alex Scarrow called Last Light where the fuel runs out so the world loses everything (Electricity / Imported Products / Petrol itself), in the end the Government tries putting everyone together in camps yet its just foolish with the one place being remotely safe is the middle of no where.
If Ebola gets over here am moving straight to a cottage somewhere deep in the English countryside with no where near it
Populations of: Guinea = 11.75 million, Liberia = 4.294 million, Sierra Leone = 6.092 million, Nigeria 173.6 million. Total = 195.736 million. Deaths so far = 3400. This 0.0017% of people in those countries. That is 17 in every million people. Assuming UK population is 70 million, thats about 1190 people...
146927 people died from cancer in 2013 in the UK. In 2010, 1523 people died by accidentally poisoning themselves.
There needs to be a balance between good news reporting and scaremongering that leads to people 'running to the coast'.
There is a big difference in hospital hygiene between Sierra Leone and the UK.
Populations of: Guinea = 11.75 million, Liberia = 4.294 million, Sierra Leone = 6.092 million, Nigeria 173.6 million. Total = 195.736 million. Deaths so far = 3400. This 0.0017% of people in those countries. That is 17 in every million people. Assuming UK population is 70 million, thats about 1190 people...
146927 people died from cancer in 2013 in the UK. In 2010, 1523 people died by accidentally poisoning themselves.
There needs to be a balance between good news reporting and scaremongering that leads to people 'running to the coast'.
There is a big difference in hospital hygiene between Sierra Leone and the UK.
I agree. You would hope, and it does seem that the authorities are actively doing everything in their power to prepare us as best we can for an outbreak in the UK. Pleased to see troops are being sent over because all commentary seems to suggest if we really want to get a grip we need to play a part in tackling the areas that are most as risk.
My only worry is the press 'reports' of how both the Spanish and U.S cases have been handled so far. The Spanish nurse suggests she was given paracetamol initially, and the guy in the U.S was sent home after visiting ER with the symptoms and having told them he'd flown in from Liberia. The western world is supposed to have robust infrastructure etc, yet it seems we dropped the ball on the first 2 cases. Surely now there will be a water tight approach to this
I was just discussing with the missus what we would do if there was a major outbreak in London. Gathering the kids and heading for the coast seems to be the plan. School playgrounds are like petri dishes at the best of times and that's the last place I'd want my little ones.
Was thinking about this myself...
there is a very good book by Alex Scarrow called Last Light where the fuel runs out so the world loses everything (Electricity / Imported Products / Petrol itself), in the end the Government tries putting everyone together in camps yet its just foolish with the one place being remotely safe is the middle of no where.
If Ebola gets over here am moving straight to a cottage somewhere deep in the English countryside with no where near it
Yes because there will be loads of them available for short term rent by people that are happy to stay in the cities while you rent their safe haven. ;-)
Firstly, this is not 'I AM Legend' coming to life. That was a fictional account of a disease that turned people into flesh eating vampires. This is a real-world outbreak of a disease that kills people.
Next up, the statement that 'this isn't a problem for Africa, but we aren't equipped to deal with it in the West'. No. Just, no. This is a very, very real problem for Africa - with its lack of infrastructure, poor sanitation & hygiene, paucity of trained medical personnel, ridiculous religious beliefs, corruption and lack of understanding of how the disease spreads. At present, it is NOT a problem for the West. If you're keeping score, currently it stands at about 3000-1 and the Westerners who have died were in direct contact with infected patients, rather than just wandering around near them. Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Not just wandering around near them
Next - this is not 'Utopia'. I knew it wouldn't be long before someone started chucking conspiracy theories about. I suspect that, as this will get a whole lot worse before it gets better, the conspiracy nut jobs will take off with this like they did with the moon landings and 9/11. Fuck these people. Thousands of poor bastards are going to die because of a combination of dumb luck, their governments' intransigence and the West's unwillingness to take the issue seriously. Trying to dream up conspiracy theories around it cheapens these peoples' deaths
Finally, 'heading for the hills'. Quite apart from the sheer rampant lunacy of thinking this is the appropriate response to the first sign of a kid coughing (yes, I know, I'm being dramatic there) If it ever gets to the point where you feel the need to do that, how exactly are you going to find a cottage in a remote part of the country? Don't you think that approximately 50 million other people would be thinking the same thing? What are you going to do - take it by force?
Simple facts are that current strains of Ebola are not airborne, can be far better controlled in the West than they can in Africa, were not created by a shadowy cabal to decimate the population of the Earth and do not turn people into daylight fearing zombies.
Get a grip, FFS
Of course, if the current (most virulent) strain of Ebola mutates into an airborne version, we're all fucked.
Populations of: Guinea = 11.75 million, Liberia = 4.294 million, Sierra Leone = 6.092 million, Nigeria 173.6 million. Total = 195.736 million. Deaths so far = 3400. This 0.0017% of people in those countries. That is 17 in every million people. Assuming UK population is 70 million, thats about 1190 people...
146927 people died from cancer in 2013 in the UK. In 2010, 1523 people died by accidentally poisoning themselves.
There needs to be a balance between good news reporting and scaremongering that leads to people 'running to the coast'. There is a big difference in hospital hygiene between Sierra Leone and the UK.
Yes hygiene is much better but none of our hospitals are prepared for a major viral outbreak. Apart from gloves, gowns and aprons all of which would be minimally useful in an Ebola epidemic there is worryingly little in place to protect the staff or the community.
Ebola has around a 70% kill rate of those infected. 96 years ago the Spanish Flu virus was responsible for more deaths than caused by the first world war. Luckily Ebola is not genuinely "airborn" but it can be spread by coughing and physical contact. The virus is present in sweat.
The CDC (Centre for Disease Control) in the USA has stated that this Ebola outbreak will get much worse before it gets any better.
Firstly, this is not 'I AM Legend' coming to life. That was a fictional account of a disease that turned people into flesh eating vampires. This is a real-world outbreak of a disease that kills people.
Next up, the statement that 'this isn't a problem for Africa, but we aren't equipped to deal with it in the West'. No. Just, no. This is a very, very real problem for Africa - with its lack of infrastructure, poor sanitation & hygiene, paucity of trained medical personnel, ridiculous religious beliefs, corruption and lack of understanding of how the disease spreads. At present, it is NOT a problem for the West. If you're keeping score, currently it stands at about 3000-1 and the Westerners who have died were in direct contact with infected patients, rather than just wandering around near them. Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Not just wandering around near them
Next - this is not 'Utopia'. I knew it wouldn't be long before someone started chucking conspiracy theories about. I suspect that, as this will get a whole lot worse before it gets better, the conspiracy nut jobs will take off with this like they did with the moon landings and 9/11. Fuck these people. Thousands of poor bastards are going to die because of a combination of dumb luck, their governments' intransigence and the West's unwillingness to take the issue seriously. Trying to dream up conspiracy theories around it cheapens these peoples' deaths
Finally, 'heading for the hills'. Quite apart from the sheer rampant lunacy of thinking this is the appropriate response to the first sign of a kid coughing (yes, I know, I'm being dramatic there) If it ever gets to the point where you feel the need to do that, how exactly are you going to find a cottage in a remote part of the country? Don't you think that approximately 50 million other people would be thinking the same thing? What are you going to do - take it by force?
Simple facts are that current strains of Ebola are not airborne, can be far better controlled in the West than they can in Africa, were not created by a shadowy cabal to decimate the population of the Earth and do not turn people into daylight fearing zombies.
Get a grip, FFS
Of course, if the current (most virulent) strain of Ebola mutates into an airborne version, we're all fucked.
The efforts and money are currently needed in Africa, but given that this outbreak represents a major failure by WHO to intervene effectively and appropriately, does anyone seriously believe that COBRA meetings are sufficient? I repeat, years ago, when treating the last case of smallpox in the UK on the isolation ship in Dartford, the training and precautions taken were staggering. I fear we have become too accustomed to a threat free environment. I hope that we do indeed donate supplies and expertise to Africa, put selfishly, that is our best hope of protection.
Firstly, this is not 'I AM Legend' coming to life. That was a fictional account of a disease that turned people into flesh eating vampires. This is a real-world outbreak of a disease that kills people.
Next up, the statement that 'this isn't a problem for Africa, but we aren't equipped to deal with it in the West'. No. Just, no. This is a very, very real problem for Africa - with its lack of infrastructure, poor sanitation & hygiene, paucity of trained medical personnel, ridiculous religious beliefs, corruption and lack of understanding of how the disease spreads. At present, it is NOT a problem for the West. If you're keeping score, currently it stands at about 3000-1 and the Westerners who have died were in direct contact with infected patients, rather than just wandering around near them. Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Not just wandering around near them
Next - this is not 'Utopia'. I knew it wouldn't be long before someone started chucking conspiracy theories about. I suspect that, as this will get a whole lot worse before it gets better, the conspiracy nut jobs will take off with this like they did with the moon landings and 9/11. Fuck these people. Thousands of poor bastards are going to die because of a combination of dumb luck, their governments' intransigence and the West's unwillingness to take the issue seriously. Trying to dream up conspiracy theories around it cheapens these peoples' deaths
Finally, 'heading for the hills'. Quite apart from the sheer rampant lunacy of thinking this is the appropriate response to the first sign of a kid coughing (yes, I know, I'm being dramatic there) If it ever gets to the point where you feel the need to do that, how exactly are you going to find a cottage in a remote part of the country? Don't you think that approximately 50 million other people would be thinking the same thing? What are you going to do - take it by force?
Simple facts are that current strains of Ebola are not airborne, can be far better controlled in the West than they can in Africa, were not created by a shadowy cabal to decimate the population of the Earth and do not turn people into daylight fearing zombies.
Get a grip, FFS
Of course, if the current (most virulent) strain of Ebola mutates into an airborne version, we're all fucked.
If you seriously thought I was under the impression that it would be anything like I am Legend, then I'm afraid you're a bit of a fool. Although you do know ALL of those wonderful facts! How long you been waiting to show them off?
Firstly, this is not 'I AM Legend' coming to life. That was a fictional account of a disease that turned people into flesh eating vampires. This is a real-world outbreak of a disease that kills people.
Next up, the statement that 'this isn't a problem for Africa, but we aren't equipped to deal with it in the West'. No. Just, no. This is a very, very real problem for Africa - with its lack of infrastructure, poor sanitation & hygiene, paucity of trained medical personnel, ridiculous religious beliefs, corruption and lack of understanding of how the disease spreads. At present, it is NOT a problem for the West. If you're keeping score, currently it stands at about 3000-1 and the Westerners who have died were in direct contact with infected patients, rather than just wandering around near them. Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Not just wandering around near them
Next - this is not 'Utopia'. I knew it wouldn't be long before someone started chucking conspiracy theories about. I suspect that, as this will get a whole lot worse before it gets better, the conspiracy nut jobs will take off with this like they did with the moon landings and 9/11. Fuck these people. Thousands of poor bastards are going to die because of a combination of dumb luck, their governments' intransigence and the West's unwillingness to take the issue seriously. Trying to dream up conspiracy theories around it cheapens these peoples' deaths
Finally, 'heading for the hills'. Quite apart from the sheer rampant lunacy of thinking this is the appropriate response to the first sign of a kid coughing (yes, I know, I'm being dramatic there) If it ever gets to the point where you feel the need to do that, how exactly are you going to find a cottage in a remote part of the country? Don't you think that approximately 50 million other people would be thinking the same thing? What are you going to do - take it by force?
Simple facts are that current strains of Ebola are not airborne, can be far better controlled in the West than they can in Africa, were not created by a shadowy cabal to decimate the population of the Earth and do not turn people into daylight fearing zombies.
Get a grip, FFS
Of course, if the current (most virulent) strain of Ebola mutates into an airborne version, we're all fucked.
If you seriously thought I was under the impression that it would be anything like I am Legend, then I'm afraid you're a bit of a fool. Although you do know ALL of those wonderful facts! How long you been waiting to show them off?
Hats off and best wishes to the Nurses, Doctors and hospital staff who will be caring for those who are unfortunate enough to contract this dreadful virus in the UK.
Viruses are clever little buggers - but you could argue that Ebola is not a very efficient one.
It has a very high mortality rate and it kills people before they have a chance to pass it on to a great number of other people.
If it did become airborne it would probably also mutate to either become less deady or at least not kill the hosts so quickly.
Scary stuff nonetheless.
It does transfer through the air already, and has done since the 1930's, but mutates into an influenza
Ebola cannot 'mutate' into 'an influenza'. Ebola variants are completely different viruses to influenza ones. It's like saying a cat could mutate into a dog.
There are multiple strains of Ebola - some of which are 'airborne' (i.e. spread via respiratory infection, saliva etc), some of which are transmitted by exchange of bodily fluids. Thankfully, the virulent strain of Ebola (and other unrelated but similar viruses such as Lassa and Hanta) is, at present, wholly transmitted via the latter method. RNA viruses do have genomes that change quickly. In addition, Ebola is a very simple virus, which means it is more likely to mutate often and be viable. There's no evidence that this has happened as yet, but by the same rationale, it IS possible, and WOULD be very damaging IF it happened.
As above, there have always been airborne strains of Ebola. The difference between these and those transmitted by bodily fluid exchange are that the airborne strains are nowhere near as virulent.
You're probably talking about the incident in Reston (funnily enough, about two miles from where my company has a co-lo site ))
Lots of misinformation about this out there. I think this turned out to be as a result of monkeys from Asia infected with an unknown strain of virus with the same origins as Ebola, but from a completely different part of the world. No evidence that it was airborne, and of the people who were tested for signs of infection, only a few of them showed low levels of the virus in their blood - with none of them becoming seriously ill. So, basically, it is possible that they had the milder, airborne strain of Ebola (though by no means certain that this was the case), and in any case, the strain they had - although fatal to at least some of the monkeys, wasn't dangerous to humans. The worrying aspect of this is that it confirms Ebola is 'out there' in the wild in other parts of the world than West/Central Africa.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Hot-Zone-Terrifying-Origins/dp/0385479565 Having recently re read this fantastic book, I interpret the chapter on the outbreak at the Washington research lab run by the US govt as being a mutation - the symptoms of the airborne variant created influenza like symptoms. I'm quite happy to stand corrected.
Edit - to add some blurb on Wiki from this fascinating book. The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story is a best-selling[1] 1995 non-fiction thriller by Richard Preston about the origins and incidents involving viral hemorrhagic fevers, particularly ebolaviruses and marburgviruses. The basis of the book was Preston's 1992 New Yorker article "Crisis in the Hot Zone".[2] The filoviruses Ebola virus (EBOV), Sudan virus (SUDV), Marburg virus (MARV), and Ravn virus (RAVV) are Biosafety Level 4 agents. Biosafety Level 4 agents are extremely dangerous to humans because they are very infectious, have a high case-fatality rate, and there are no known prophylactics, treatments, or cures. Along with describing the history of the diseases caused by these two Central African diseases, Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Marburg virus disease (MVD), Preston describes a 1989 incident in which a relative of Ebola virus named Reston virus (RESTV), was discovered at a primate quarantine facility in Reston, Virginia, less than fifteen miles (24 km) away from Washington, DC. The virus found at the facility was a mutated form of the original Ebola virus, and was initially mistaken for Simian Hemorrhagic Fever (SHV). The original Reston facility involved in the incident, located at 1946 Isaac Newton Square, was subsequently torn down sometime between 1995 and 1998.[3]
The book is in four sections: "The Shadow of Mount Elgon" delves into the history of filoviruses, as well as speculation about the origins of AIDS. Preston accounts the story of "Charles Monet" (a pseudonym), who might have caught MARV from visiting Kitum Cave on Mount Elgon in Kenya. The author describes in great detail the progression of the disease, from the initial headache and backache, to the final stage in which Monet's internal organs fail and he "bleeds out" (i.e., hemorrhages extensively) in a waiting room in a Nairobi hospital. This part also introduces a young promising physician who becomes infected with MARV while treating Monet. Nancy Jaax's story is told. Viruses, and biosafety levels and procedures are described. The EVD outbreaks caused by EBOV and its cousin, Sudan virus (SUDV) are mentioned. Preston talks to the man who named Ebola virus. "The Monkey House" chronicles the discovery of Reston virus among imported monkeys in Reston, Virginia, and the following actions taken by the U.S. Army and Centers for Disease Control. "Smashdown" is more on the Reston epizootic, which involved a strain of the virus that does not affect humans but which easily spreads by air, and is very similar to its cousin the Ebola virus. "Kitum Cave" tells of the author's visiting the cave that is the suspected home of the natural host animal that Ebola lives inside of. The book starts with "Charles Monet" visiting Kitum Cave during a camping trip to Mount Elgon in Central Africa. Not long after, he begins to suffer from a number of symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea and red eye. He is soon taken to Nairobi Hospital for treatment, but his condition deteriorates further and he goes into a coma while in the waiting room. This particular filovirus is called Marburg virus. Dr. Nancy Jaax had been promoted to work in the Level 4 Biosafety containment area at USAMRIID, and is assigned to research Ebola virus. While preparing food for her family at home, she cuts her right hand. Later, while working on a dead, EBOV-infected monkey, one of the gloves on the hand with the open wound tears, and she is almost exposed to contaminated blood, but does not get infected. Nurse Mayinga is also infected by a nun and elects to visit Nairobi Hospital for treatment, where she succumbs to the disease. In Reston, Virginia, less than fifteen miles (24 km) away from Washington, DC, a company called Hazelton Research once operated a quarantine center for monkeys that were destined for laboratories. In October 1989, when an unusually high number of their monkeys began to die, their veterinarian decided to send some samples to Fort Detrick (USAMRIID) for study. Early during the testing process in biosafety level 3, when one of the flasks appeared to be contaminated with harmless pseudomonas bacterium, two USAMRIID scientists exposed themselves to the virus by wafting the flask. They later determine that, while the virus is terrifyingly lethal to monkeys, humans can be infected with it without any health effects at all. This virus is now known as Reston virus (RESTV). Finally, the author himself goes into Africa to explore Kitum Cave. On the way, he discusses the role of AIDS in the present, as the highway they were on, sometimes called the "AIDS Highway," or the "Kinshasa Highway" was where it first appeared. Equipped with a Hazmat suit, he enters the cave and finds a large number of animals, one of which might be the virus carrier. At the conclusion of the book, he travels to the quarantine facility in Reston. The building there was abandoned and deteriorating. He concludes the book by saying EBOV will be back.
Hats off and best wishes to the Nurses, Doctors and hospital staff who will be caring for those who are unfortunate enough to contract this dreadful virus in the UK.
And I have nothing but awe for the people in the front line who do not have the equipment they need. Heroism of the highest order.
Comments
there is a very good book by Alex Scarrow called Last Light where the fuel runs out so the world loses everything (Electricity / Imported Products / Petrol itself), in the end the Government tries putting everyone together in camps yet its just foolish with the one place being remotely safe is the middle of no where.
If Ebola gets over here am moving straight to a cottage somewhere deep in the English countryside with no where near it
146927 people died from cancer in 2013 in the UK. In 2010, 1523 people died by accidentally poisoning themselves.
There needs to be a balance between good news reporting and scaremongering that leads to people 'running to the coast'.
There is a big difference in hospital hygiene between Sierra Leone and the UK.
My only worry is the press 'reports' of how both the Spanish and U.S cases have been handled so far. The Spanish nurse suggests she was given paracetamol initially, and the guy in the U.S was sent home after visiting ER with the symptoms and having told them he'd flown in from Liberia. The western world is supposed to have robust infrastructure etc, yet it seems we dropped the ball on the first 2 cases. Surely now there will be a water tight approach to this
Even if numbers affected are small, it is the panic it would cause.
Look how country ground to a halt through foot and mouth.
Firstly, this is not 'I AM Legend' coming to life. That was a fictional account of a disease that turned people into flesh eating vampires. This is a real-world outbreak of a disease that kills people.
Next up, the statement that 'this isn't a problem for Africa, but we aren't equipped to deal with it in the West'. No. Just, no. This is a very, very real problem for Africa - with its lack of infrastructure, poor sanitation & hygiene, paucity of trained medical personnel, ridiculous religious beliefs, corruption and lack of understanding of how the disease spreads. At present, it is NOT a problem for the West. If you're keeping score, currently it stands at about 3000-1 and the Westerners who have died were in direct contact with infected patients, rather than just wandering around near them. Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. Not just wandering around near them
Next - this is not 'Utopia'. I knew it wouldn't be long before someone started chucking conspiracy theories about. I suspect that, as this will get a whole lot worse before it gets better, the conspiracy nut jobs will take off with this like they did with the moon landings and 9/11. Fuck these people. Thousands of poor bastards are going to die because of a combination of dumb luck, their governments' intransigence and the West's unwillingness to take the issue seriously. Trying to dream up conspiracy theories around it cheapens these peoples' deaths
Finally, 'heading for the hills'. Quite apart from the sheer rampant lunacy of thinking this is the appropriate response to the first sign of a kid coughing (yes, I know, I'm being dramatic there) If it ever gets to the point where you feel the need to do that, how exactly are you going to find a cottage in a remote part of the country? Don't you think that approximately 50 million other people would be thinking the same thing? What are you going to do - take it by force?
Simple facts are that current strains of Ebola are not airborne, can be far better controlled in the West than they can in Africa, were not created by a shadowy cabal to decimate the population of the Earth and do not turn people into daylight fearing zombies.
Get a grip, FFS
Of course, if the current (most virulent) strain of Ebola mutates into an airborne version, we're all fucked.
Ebola has around a 70% kill rate of those infected. 96 years ago the Spanish Flu virus was responsible for more deaths than caused by the first world war. Luckily Ebola is not genuinely "airborn" but it can be spread by coughing and physical contact. The virus is present in sweat.
The CDC (Centre for Disease Control) in the USA has stated that this Ebola outbreak will get much worse before it gets any better.
It has a very high mortality rate and it kills people before they have a chance to pass it on to a great number of other people.
If it did become airborne it would probably also mutate to either become less deady or at least not kill the hosts so quickly.
Scary stuff nonetheless.
Calm down and support Charlton!
#shitjustgotreal
Bul-Ebola
There are multiple strains of Ebola - some of which are 'airborne' (i.e. spread via respiratory infection, saliva etc), some of which are transmitted by exchange of bodily fluids. Thankfully, the virulent strain of Ebola (and other unrelated but similar viruses such as Lassa and Hanta) is, at present, wholly transmitted via the latter method. RNA viruses do have genomes that change quickly. In addition, Ebola is a very simple virus, which means it is more likely to mutate often and be viable. There's no evidence that this has happened as yet, but by the same rationale, it IS possible, and WOULD be very damaging IF it happened.
You're probably talking about the incident in Reston (funnily enough, about two miles from where my company has a co-lo site
Lots of misinformation about this out there. I think this turned out to be as a result of monkeys from Asia infected with an unknown strain of virus with the same origins as Ebola, but from a completely different part of the world. No evidence that it was airborne, and of the people who were tested for signs of infection, only a few of them showed low levels of the virus in their blood - with none of them becoming seriously ill. So, basically, it is possible that they had the milder, airborne strain of Ebola (though by no means certain that this was the case), and in any case, the strain they had - although fatal to at least some of the monkeys, wasn't dangerous to humans. The worrying aspect of this is that it confirms Ebola is 'out there' in the wild in other parts of the world than West/Central Africa.
Having recently re read this fantastic book, I interpret the chapter on the outbreak at the Washington research lab run by the US govt as being a mutation - the symptoms of the airborne variant created influenza like symptoms. I'm quite happy to stand corrected.
Edit - to add some blurb on Wiki from this fascinating book.
The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story is a best-selling[1] 1995 non-fiction thriller by Richard Preston about the origins and incidents involving viral hemorrhagic fevers, particularly ebolaviruses and marburgviruses. The basis of the book was Preston's 1992 New Yorker article "Crisis in the Hot Zone".[2]
The filoviruses Ebola virus (EBOV), Sudan virus (SUDV), Marburg virus (MARV), and Ravn virus (RAVV) are Biosafety Level 4 agents. Biosafety Level 4 agents are extremely dangerous to humans because they are very infectious, have a high case-fatality rate, and there are no known prophylactics, treatments, or cures. Along with describing the history of the diseases caused by these two Central African diseases, Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Marburg virus disease (MVD), Preston describes a 1989 incident in which a relative of Ebola virus named Reston virus (RESTV), was discovered at a primate quarantine facility in Reston, Virginia, less than fifteen miles (24 km) away from Washington, DC. The virus found at the facility was a mutated form of the original Ebola virus, and was initially mistaken for Simian Hemorrhagic Fever (SHV). The original Reston facility involved in the incident, located at 1946 Isaac Newton Square, was subsequently torn down sometime between 1995 and 1998.[3]
The book is in four sections:
"The Shadow of Mount Elgon" delves into the history of filoviruses, as well as speculation about the origins of AIDS. Preston accounts the story of "Charles Monet" (a pseudonym), who might have caught MARV from visiting Kitum Cave on Mount Elgon in Kenya. The author describes in great detail the progression of the disease, from the initial headache and backache, to the final stage in which Monet's internal organs fail and he "bleeds out" (i.e., hemorrhages extensively) in a waiting room in a Nairobi hospital. This part also introduces a young promising physician who becomes infected with MARV while treating Monet. Nancy Jaax's story is told. Viruses, and biosafety levels and procedures are described. The EVD outbreaks caused by EBOV and its cousin, Sudan virus (SUDV) are mentioned. Preston talks to the man who named Ebola virus.
"The Monkey House" chronicles the discovery of Reston virus among imported monkeys in Reston, Virginia, and the following actions taken by the U.S. Army and Centers for Disease Control.
"Smashdown" is more on the Reston epizootic, which involved a strain of the virus that does not affect humans but which easily spreads by air, and is very similar to its cousin the Ebola virus.
"Kitum Cave" tells of the author's visiting the cave that is the suspected home of the natural host animal that Ebola lives inside of.
The book starts with "Charles Monet" visiting Kitum Cave during a camping trip to Mount Elgon in Central Africa. Not long after, he begins to suffer from a number of symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea and red eye. He is soon taken to Nairobi Hospital for treatment, but his condition deteriorates further and he goes into a coma while in the waiting room. This particular filovirus is called Marburg virus.
Dr. Nancy Jaax had been promoted to work in the Level 4 Biosafety containment area at USAMRIID, and is assigned to research Ebola virus. While preparing food for her family at home, she cuts her right hand. Later, while working on a dead, EBOV-infected monkey, one of the gloves on the hand with the open wound tears, and she is almost exposed to contaminated blood, but does not get infected. Nurse Mayinga is also infected by a nun and elects to visit Nairobi Hospital for treatment, where she succumbs to the disease.
In Reston, Virginia, less than fifteen miles (24 km) away from Washington, DC, a company called Hazelton Research once operated a quarantine center for monkeys that were destined for laboratories. In October 1989, when an unusually high number of their monkeys began to die, their veterinarian decided to send some samples to Fort Detrick (USAMRIID) for study. Early during the testing process in biosafety level 3, when one of the flasks appeared to be contaminated with harmless pseudomonas bacterium, two USAMRIID scientists exposed themselves to the virus by wafting the flask. They later determine that, while the virus is terrifyingly lethal to monkeys, humans can be infected with it without any health effects at all. This virus is now known as Reston virus (RESTV).
Finally, the author himself goes into Africa to explore Kitum Cave. On the way, he discusses the role of AIDS in the present, as the highway they were on, sometimes called the "AIDS Highway," or the "Kinshasa Highway" was where it first appeared. Equipped with a Hazmat suit, he enters the cave and finds a large number of animals, one of which might be the virus carrier. At the conclusion of the book, he travels to the quarantine facility in Reston. The building there was abandoned and deteriorating. He concludes the book by saying EBOV will be back.