Chapter Summary Of The Hot Zone

​The Hot Zone is a novel detailing the effects of the limitations of human knowledge, fear, and bureaucracy on a society afflicted by a deadly viral outbreak. The book gives account to an Ebola virus outbreak taking place in the 1980’s after experiencing a similar, factual, encounter with the virus in 1976. The story begins in Kenya, where Charles Monet is infected with the Marburg virus. Preston uses Monet’s infection and the historical context of the virus as a means of drawing fear from the reader in order to warn society about future viral outbreaks. Specifically, Preston mentions the AIDS virus, which had not taken full root in America as of the book’s publishing. Because we do not know the full extent of the effects of the AIDS virus, taking the infection lightly can lead to the demise of

many.

The book then begins to tell about the “Reston facility.” In the building, hundreds of monkeys are infected with a new form of the Ebola virus discovered by veterinarian Nancy Jaax. With a new viral threat the US government moves to euthanize the monkeys and collect blood samples for testing. After several mishaps, all of the monkeys are successfully killed and everyone avoids infection; however, the situation builds a sense of urgency in the book and reader to understand the nature of the violent power of nature. The book ends in Kenya with the author visiting the spot where the first two Marburg victims contracted the virus. Throughout the novel it becomes evident that no matter how well-studied we think we are on a certain virus, there will always be an adaptation or a new virus that puzzles even the most intelligent scientists. It speaks to how limited we are in understanding the true power of nature. The book also shows how driven we are by fear. The constant threat of exposure and infection drives researchers to understand and combat

these hot agents.
​I believe the reading is extremely successful in conveying its message. Preston takes a different view to the research of viral infections; taking a more third person understanding rather than living in the moment. It allows Preston to use his style of writing to his advantage. For example, the scenes of an extremely bloody and painful death to Charles Monet when he is infected with the Marburg virus establish a natural fear in the reader, which is only exponentially increased when we learn the virus is real. Preston’s use of intense imagery in true historical context pushes the reader to learn and understand about the viruses in the real world.
​From the book, I learned that fear is a very persuasive way to communicate your views. One thing we value over pretty much everything is our lives, and Preston uses that to his advantage. Even today, especially with the recent outbreak of Ebola in the US, his book forces readers to understand the necessity of having knowledge of viral outbreaks. The book also teaches us about the specific diseases Preston mentions throughout the novel. I learned about excessively bloody fever viruses (Marburg), emerging diseases (such as AIDS), the transmission of diseases among species of animals and humans, and the process of detecting antigens in biological tissues.
​After reading the books I still have many questions. Mainly, they deal with my own safety in respect to the possible viruses around me I have never heard of. I want to know where many of these infections begin and what is the catalyst in their adaptations to vaccines? Lastly, I would like to know about the reason Preston wrote the book. I understand he addresses the reason, but I would like to know if there is a personal connection to the story he doesn’t tell the reader about.