Virus Ground Zero

In Virus Ground Zero: Stalking the Killer Viruses
with the Centers for Disease Control Ed Regis tells
the story of the CDC's investigation
of the 1995 outbreak of Ebola in Kikwit, Zaire. He
interweaves the history of the CDC and some of its
major cases.

It's fast-moving and well-written. It's not the most
detailed account available of either Ebola in Kikwit
or the CDC. I'm not sure I'd recommend it except
as a book for someone beginning to read up on these
subjects. He does include some amusing incidents
I don't recall reading anywhere else.

However, I strongly recommend the last chapter,
even if you don't agree with it, The Golden Age of
Virus Paranoia and the Epilogue: Submerging Diseases.

These are directly contrarian to almost all the other
books and opinions I've read.

We've discovered tons of infectious diseases in
the last 30 years because our medical technology
has improved, he claims.

Not because Earth's "immune system" is attempting
to wipe out the human species.

Not because the rain forest is getting revenge on
us or consciously protecting ourselves.

Even in Africa, where the most lethal viruses
are, the population has been growing -- and at
the fastest rate.

Ebola and Marburg not only pose no threat to
humanity as a whole, Marburg may even be
extinct.

I found that an interesting idea that I'd never
considered, but which is reasonable.

Species of viruses have been around since the
very beginning of life. They evolve and must
compete for existence the same as us larger
forms of life.

It's quite possible that species of viruses have
"emerged," proved unsuccessful and become just
as extinct as the dodo bird.

Obviously, they don't leave fossil records behind
so this is much harder to track.

And it's much harder to verify, but may explain
the diseases which we know of through isolated
outbreaks, but which have not been found in people
for many years: Marburg, Rocio enchalitis and
o'nyong-nyong.

Could also explain diseases of history of which
we have written accounts but cannot associate
with any known disease, such as "sweating sickness."

So, does this mean I've become complacent about
bird flu?

Not hardly.

Regis's book was written before H5N1 started
killing people in Hong Kong.