The Main Themes of The Hot Zone

Books, stories, etc.offer alternate insights to someone’s writing, by providinga wide perception of a given topic for viewers. Writers allow readers to have a chance to dig into a problem’s past. Richard Preston’s The Hot Zone is one of suchbooks. A book on the origin of a deadly virus, Ebola, both in the human body and in the outside world. The book is a synthesis of the author’s facts, scientific knowledge, and personal experiences. There are a number of medical issues in this novel. Two of these medical issues will be discussed in this report which include the bravery and teamwork presented by almost everyone in The Hot Zone of it, and human error in the lab and the clinic.

While most of the Hot Zone’s content is disturbing, one of its few high points is the clear courage and coordination demonstrated by the Ebola researchers, particularly USAMRIID’s military soldiers and scientists. Nancy and Jerry Jaaxare excellent examples of researchers who jeopardize their life and sacrifice certain parts of their lifeto make sure others are protected from a possible Ebola epidemic. Jerry’s soldiers’ group also reveals how important these abilities are to curb the virus’ distribution.Even though their job is veryfrightening and hellish — killed hundreds of Ebola-carrying monkeys — they do so with devotion, knowing that they might haveto sacrifice oneself for the sake of the wider public. Several scientists and doctors with these principles exist in the Hot Zone (like Dr. Shem Musoke, who catches Ebola whilst treating patients, also Gene Johnson, who actively works to combat Ebola while being frightened by it), and it is attributable to them, Preston suggests, that the majority of us can live our lives without being conscious of the hostile world of viruses surrounding all of us.

Using research — to support her statements — and horrifying details, Preston clearly indicates that perhaps the spread of viruses such as Ebola (and other viral diseases, such as HIV) is often caused as a result of human error. Either consuming tainted animal meat, transmitting pathogens by sexual intercourse, constructing roads that become plague routes, or using contaminated needles, individuals are regularly exposed to debilitating and destructive diseases.

By fixating onto the Ebola epidemic in Reston — a calm and peaceful neighborhood — Preston clearly states how delicate daily life already is, and also how readily any numberof evolving ailments can wipe it all out. Also, taking precautions, like using spacesuits or other protective garments, donot provide a reliable disease preventative defense. Spacesuits can betorn, oxygen runs low, and syringes (or angry monkeys, or test subjects) will puncture the gloves. Blood is also a grea timage of human vulnerability in this scope. While blood usually transports energy and nutrition, the blood from an infected individual is also a disease-carrying system, and exposure to one bit can lead to contamination, eventuallyresulting in death.With the use of infected/contaminated needles in the Yambuku Mission Hospital as well as the Maridi hospital, to the incompetence of Hazelton Research Products in intentionally buying contaminated monkeys from Philippines, human negligence can be attributed to most of the outbreak incidents depicted in the book. Preston often mentions many cases where neglect may potentially have contributed to an epidemic in varying conditions, including when contaminated needles were left just outside of the Reston plant or even when Dan Dalgard wraps infected monkey specimens in a pure tin foil when presenting the specimens to USAMRIID.

In any case, Preston clearly states that an individual member of the population canassess, and therefore dictate, the risk for a catastrophic epidemic.In summary, Richard Preston’s Hot Zone presents readers with an opportunity to dive into an individual and global experience of the deadly Ebola virus. Several of the topics discussed in this book are vital topics required in the clinic and the laboratory. The book characters’ encounter when interacting/copingwith thedeadly Ebola virus made them fear for their lives, but they also wanted to help others not to be infected with the same lethal virus. Ebola reflects a destructive and lethal power at its purest level, no matter how very much technological advancement develops, and no matter how very much people try to protect themselves, Ebola still finds an infection, and after which, a disease pathway.

As a matter of fact, Ebola is also using human advancement, innovation and globalizationto disperse faster and much further than ever. Ebola does thisin the form of quicker and more efficient modes of transportation, such as highways and aircraft. Therefore,when dealing with medical problems, it isn’t just about treating a disease. It is also the prevention of the spreading of the disease.