Richard Preston’s The Hot Zone was not my first introduction to emerging infectious diseases. The spreading HIV pandemic of the 1980s and 1990s prompted my initial interest and desire to make a positive contribution. Still, Preston’s controversial best seller likely introduced me to the Ebola virus and to concepts like biosafety level 4 laboratories. The same was true for many others, especially those outside of biological and medical communities. That Preston’s book raised awareness, increased enthusiasm for science & public health, and generated greater political will to prepare for outbreaks & provide aid where they occur were generally seen as positives among those who deal most directly with Ebola and related pathogens. At the same time, its exaggeration of the clinical effects and heavy dramatization led to some frustration within the same communities. The new TV mini-series adaptation seems likely to garner a comparable response.
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