The climate changes. Species go extinct. Hurricanes strike. The forests catch fire. Asteroids hit. What could possibly be worse? A disastrous outbreak of Ebola virus! Ebola virus belongs to the Filoviridae family along with Marburg Virus. There are three Ebola species discovered so far: Ebola Sudan, Ebola Zaire, and Ebola Reston. Most of the public knowledge of those viruses comes from primary sources by authors who document real-life events. Richard Preston is such author who published The Hot Zone (THZ) in 1994 about a series of Filovirus outbreaks and the role The United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) played in efforts to contain them, with emphasis on the terrifying true story of the origins of the Ebola virus. Overall, The Hot Zone presents both accurate and inaccurate descriptions of the Filovirus outbreaks. …show more content…
It has been successful in improving the awareness of more than 3.5 million people. In the article “The First American Ebola Outbreak”, Gladwell mentions, “It is safe to say that it is because of the success of The Hot Zone that “Outbreak" was made, that the Ebola outbreak in Zaire was covered as feverishly as it was, that the idea of killer viruses has achieved such sudden prominence” (2014). Preston uses metaphors, similes, and hyperbole to engage the reader and breathe life into the story of the deadly viruses. This can significantly influence the reader’s perception of a virus. Such style is evident in Preston’s descriptions of the effect of Marburg virus on Charles Monet. “It is hemorrhage, and it smells like a slaughterhouse” (Preston