The Hot Zone: The Ebola Virus

The Hot Zone is a true story about how the knowledge of the Ebola virus was first developed and the background behind it. The Ebola virus kills nine out of ten of its victims and it kills quickly and painfully. It is extremely contagious and the blood and vomit the victim lets out can spread the virus quickly. The Hot Zone goes into detail of the experience of getting to the bottom of the Ebola Virus.

The story begins with the tale of a French man, Charles Monet, who lived on a plantation in western Kenya. He enjoyed the outdoors, so for the New Year’s he planned a camping trip with one of his women friends. They drove to Mount Elgon and spent the night in a large cave called Kitum Cave. After his trip to Mount Elgon, he felt completely normal and was able to return to his job. Then seven days later, Monet had massive headaches that would not seem to go away. These headaches caused back aches and aspirin failed to work. Little did Charles Monet know that these were the first symptoms of the deadly virus within him. Three days after the headaches, the fevers came along with nausea and vomiting. Charles Monet’s personality began to transform and he became a completely different but frightening person. Doctor’s sent him to a large hospital in Nairobi to treat his worsening sickness. He travelled alone and throughout the flight, was vomiting blood mixed with a black liquid. After his long flight, he waited in the waiting room at Nairobi hospital, barely being able to talk to anyone. Finally Charles Monet lost all control of his body and he began vomiting large amounts of blood along with intestinal lining. He became a human virus bomb.

A doctor, Dr. Musoke, and nurses immediately wheeled him into a room and began tr...

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... find small traces of the virus, and predicted that at one point in time would make an escape to the human population.

At the end of the book, the author makes his own trip to Kitum Cave. He describes his fear but excitement about travelling into the cave. He brought space suits with him, to protect him from the virus hidden in the cave. He gave himself an hour inside the cave, so that he couldn’t completely expose himself to the virus. Preston describes this cave as larger than a football field in all directions. It was hard for him knowing that a hot agent was in the cave. He also took some tests for science research while in the cave.

The Hot Zone described the Ebola Virus and the journey it took to learn about it in a very interesting way. It taught you more about viruses, and how people can dedicate their lives to research about these deadly viruses.