Summary

Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone" recounts the chilling true story of outbreaks of lethal filoviruses, focusing on the Ebola and Marburg viruses. The narrative begins with the sudden illness and death of Charles Monet in Kenya, 1980, after a visit to Kitum Cave on Mount Elgon. His symptoms—headache, fever, vomiting, and a gruesome hemorrhage—baffle doctors at Nairobi Hospital. Dr. Shem Musoke, who treated Monet, contracts a similar illness after being exposed to Monet's vomit, highlighting the virus's contagious nature. The virus is identified as Marburg, a highly lethal but less infectious cousin of Ebola. Years later, a young boy named Peter Cardinal dies of Marburg in Nairobi after visiting the same cave, raising suspicions about a viral reservoir within. The book then shifts to the United States, four years prior, introducing Major Nancy Jaax, an Army veterinarian working at USAMRIID. She experiences a near-exposure to Ebola while dissecting infected monkeys, underscoring the constant risks faced by researchers. The narrative returns to 1989, when a shipment of monkeys arrives at a quarantine facility in Reston, Virginia, and an unusually high number begin dying. Veterinarian Dan Dalgard investigates the mysterious illness, initially suspecting simian hemorrhagic fever. However, electron microscope images reveal a filovirus, leading to a tense collaboration between Hazleton, the monkey house's owner, and USAMRIID. Tests reveal the presence not of Marburg but Ebola Zaire, causing alarm due to its high mortality rate. A biohazard operation commences, led by Nancy's husband, Jerry Jaax. The operation involves euthanizing hundreds of monkeys and decontaminating the facility while keeping the situation secret to avoid public panic. The book also details past outbreaks of Ebola in Sudan and Zaire, highlighting its devastating impact on communities and the heroic efforts of medical personnel. The Reston outbreak, while causing no human fatalities, reveals a new strain, Ebola Reston, that appears less lethal to humans but still capable of airborne transmission. The narrative concludes with reflections on the ecological disruption causing these outbreaks and the potential for future viral threats, emphasizing the need for vigilance and preparedness.