Hot Zone Study Guide
Questions:
1-WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SOURCES OF THE VIRUS INFERRED BY THE AUTHOR?
2-THE VILLAGES THAT SURROUND THE VOLACANO OF MOUNT ELGON ARE DESTROYING THE FOREST FOR FIREWOOD AND GRAZING LAND. WHAT IS THE MAJOR IMPACT ON THE FOREST CAUSED BY THIS ACTIVITY?
3-WHAT IS THE FIRST SYMPTOM THAT OCCURS AFTER EXPOSURE TO THIS VIRAL AGENT? WHEN DOES THIS SYPTOM OCCUR?
4-DROOPING OF THE FACIAL MUSCLES IS A VERY DISTINCTIVE SYMPTOM CAUSED BY THE VIRUS. WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FACIAL DEFORMATION?
5-THIS VIRUS CAUSES EXTREME AMPLIFICATION RESULTING IN THE BODY BEING PARTLY TRANSFORMED INTO VIRUS PARTICLES. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE VIRUS IN ACTUALLYDOING?
6-WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE THE AUTHOR USES TERMS SUCH AS “PERHAPS” AND “MAYBE” WHEN HE DESCRIBES CHARLES MONET AND HIS ENCOUNTERS?
7-WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE IT TOOK SO LONG FOR A DOCTOR TO SUSPECT THIS DISEASE COULD BE CAUSED BY A VIRUS?
8-WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE MONET’S LADY COMPANION DID NOT CONTRACT THE DISEASE AND DR. MUSOKE DID?
9-HOW ARE VIRUSES NAMED? WHY ARE THEY NAMED THIS WAY?
10-WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PATHWAYS IN WHICH MARBURG CAN BE TRASMITTED?
11-WHY DOES THE AUTHOR SUFFEST THAT MARBURG’S TRUE HOST IS NOT MONKEYS, EVEN THOUGH THEY CARRY IT?
12-MR. JONES, THE ENGLISH VETRINARIAN, VISUALLY INSPECTED ALL THE MONKEYS TRANSPORTED TO GERMANY. HOW THEN, COULD HE HAVE APPROVED THE INFECTED ANIMALS FOR SHIPMENT?
13-WHAT OTHER VIRUSES ARE MENTIONED IN CHAPTERS 2 &3?
14-WHAT INFERENCE CAN WE MAKE ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE HIV VIRUS FROM READING CHAPTER 3?
15-WHY IS MARBURG CONSIDERED THE LESS DANGEROUS SISTER OF ITS VIRUS STRAIN?
16-WHAT DID THE AUTHOR SAY IS DIFFERENT ABOUT FILOVIRUSES?
17-WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HOSPITAL AND TO DOCTOR MUSOKE AT THE END OF CHAPTER 3?
18-What is the overall mission of USAMRIID?
19-What was Nancy Jaax’s job in the Ebola Project?
20-When Nancy first applied to the Project, she was not accepted. She thought this was because she was a woman. What was the real reason they were using for rejecting her?
21-Why was Gene Johnson using monkeys for his Ebola experiments?
22-Which type of people are most likely to panic in the Level 4 spacesuits and why?
23-Why did the healthy monkeys go nuts when the humans entered their area?
24-What is the first line of defense against a hot agent?
25-Why are the viruses considered to be ambiguously alive?
26-Why IS EBOLA considered an ancient virus?
27-Why must they use Rongeur pliers on the monkey’s skull instead of sawing it open?
28- What did Nancy Jaax do to know for sure that her innermost glove was not compromised by the cut in the outer gloves?
29-What two possible explanations does the author give for why the Ebola Sudan virus vanished?
30-What are some possible ways that Ebola Zaire may have infected the first human host?
31-What is the most likely method the schoolteacher contracted the Ebola Zaire virus?
32-Describe the shapes of the viruses photographed by Fred Murphy in 1976.
33-The Cardinal strain of the cirus was extremely lethal to what species?
34-Why was it thought that the original host of the Cardinal strain was possibly an insect?
35-Why was the idea that Peter Cardinal caught Marburg from cutting his hand on a rock in Kitum Cave insignificant in terms of research?
36-What was the connection between Charles Monet and Peter Cardinal? Why is this connection significant?
37-Preston makes reference to “canaries in a coal mine”. What does this reference relate to, and what was the canaries’ function?
38-The expedition into Kitum Cave was apparently not a success in its goals. What were some possibilities that may have been overlooked by the researchers?
39-What was Johnson’s instinct regarding the expedition and supplies that he used for Kitum Cave?
40-What two promotions did the Jaax’s receive that brought them again into the possibility of Ebola and Marburg contact?
41-Why must monkeys be held in quarantine for a month in monkey houses such as in Reston?
42-What are some of the characteristics that make Crab eating monkeys unique?
43-What did Dan Dalgard attribute the monkey illnesses to at first inspection?
44-After dissecting the two dead monkeys, Dalgard believed the cause of death to possibly be what? What was the one symptom that was not common to it that he found?
45-Did Dalgard have any reason to suspect Marburg or Ebola was in the monkeys? Why or why not?
46-Why did Dan Dalgard decide to bring the problem of his dead monkeys to the attention of the USAMRIID? Why was he put in contact with Peter Jahrling?
47-Why do you suppose that people like Peter Jahrling who work with dangerous viruses might choose to purposely avoid thinking about what the viruses are capable of doing to them?
48-What is so ironic about the way Peter Jahrling lived as compared to his job?
49-Peter Jahrling had worked with almost every hot virus known except for Ebola and Marburg. From his statement, “I don’t particularly feel like dying”, what can you assume about Ebola and Marburg as compared to other lethal viruses?
50-Why do you think Peter Jahrling was so annoyed with the way Dan Dalgard sent the monkey tissue samples?
51-Why did Dan Dalgard decide to kill all of the monkeys in Room F?
52-What did Peter Jahrling do to determine whether or not bacteria had invaded the cell culture? Why did he do this?
53-What is significant about Peter Jahrling and Tom Geisbert smelling the cell culture?
54-Why did Nancy feel at a distance from her father?
55-What was the initial diagnosis from Jahrling to Dalgard in relation to the monkeys at Reston?
56-Why was Dalgard reassured about his decision to euthanize the monkeys in room F?
57-Upon returning to Reston, Dalgard found a number of monkeys that had died. What was so significant about their death that made him so concerned?
58-What is it about Tom Geisbert’s knife that made it so useful with working with the viruses?
59-What as the tool that Tom used for lifting the virus slices out of the water?
60-Tom equates looking at the cell slices with looking at terrain. What specific examples did he use to support this analogy?
61-Once Tom realized he may be dealing with a filovirus he personally became very afraid. What caused him to do so and what logical question did he have to ask himself to determine whether or not he was safe?
62-What did Tom use to confirm that he had Marburg in the cells?
63-When Tom first observed the sample he thought he had seen pepper in it. In reality what was it, and why was it so dangerous?
64-Why does Jahrling originally think the samples are NOT Marburg?
65- What is Colonel C.J. Peters' official title at USAMRIID?
66-When Peters travels to exotic locales, what does he enjoy doing?
67-What other disease does Peters suggest Jahrling test the sample for?
68-Who is another prime candidate that the scientists fear might break with Marburg?
69-What do people who have been confined to the Slammer receive when they get out?
70-Where are Tom Geisbert's children staying?
71-What does Jahrling tell Dalgard is "definitely" present in the monkey house?
72-Who is the first person Dalgard calls after talking to Peter Jahrling?
73-What is the Boniface strain a test for?
74-Where does Jahrling go to view the samples of monkey virus?
75-What did Peter Jahrling ultimately realize had infected the monkeys?
76-Who is the commander of USAMRIID?
77-Who is the commander of the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command?
78-Who was Nancy Jaax's collaborator in her experiments to see if Ebola was airborne?
79-What is the mandate of the CDC?
80-Who becomes the designated team leader for USAMRIID's biohazard mission into the monkey house?
81-Who is the person who first photographed the Ebola virus?
82-What has happened to one of the animal caretakers in the monkey house?
83-How do Nancy Jaax, Peters, and Gene Johnson travel to meet Dan Dalgard?
84-What is Hazleton policy on when to change needles?
85-Where does Dalgard agree to deliver monkey samples to the team from USAMRIID?
86-What infectious virus has Peters studied in Bolivia?
87-How many bags of monkeys are given to the team from USAMRIID?
88-What room does Dalgard give the Army permission to enter and euthanize the monkeys?
89-When would the reconnaissance mission begin?
90-What did Bill Volt offer to Gene Johnson and Sergeant Klages when they visited on their reconnaissance mission that bothered the two men?
91-Who does Dalgard not invite into the monkey house to survey the scene?
92-Where do monkeys tend to aim when they spit at you?
93-. Why does Nancy's brother call?
94-What paper is the newspaper article about the mission printed in?
95-How are the trunks of Gene Johnson's gear transported to Reston?
96-How many monkeys are still inside the monkey house?
97- What is another name for the bio containment pod?
98-What is located behind the monkey house?
99-What do Jerry Jaax and Mark Haines wear for their work in the monkey house?
100- Why does Milton Frantig apologize to Dalgard?
101-What does Frantig's condition make Dalgard decide to do?
102-How many workers are employed in the building during the mission?
103-Where does the CDC recommend that Frantig go to be treated?
104- Where does C.J. Peters believe that Frantig should be taken for treatment?
105-Who follows the ambulance that leaves the monkey house?
106- What are 91-Tangos?
107- Why does Jerry not allow Swiderski to go on the mission?
108-How much do the 91-Tangos get paid?
109-What illness do the symptoms of the monkeys remind Jerry of?
110-What bothers Charlotte Godwin most about the monkey house?
111-What is in the syringes that the 91-Tangos are using?
112- What happens to Rhonda Williams in Part 2, Chapter 4?
113- Who decons out with Rhonda?
114- What is found in the woods behind the monkey house?
115- What has happened to Jerry after his first day in the monkey house?
116- Where does the team of 91-Tangos get dinner?
117- What does Jerry tell Nancy about his day?
118- What is the name of the rapid Ebola test developed by the Army?
119- What is Milton Frantig's diagnosis?
120- Why is the loose monkey bleeding?
121- Who does C.J. Peters run into in front of the monkey house?
122- What does Rhonda Williams not like about working on the "bleed table"?
123- In Rhonda's dream, what is the monkey holding in its hand?
124- What does C.J. Peters suggest Nancy do?
125- What do the Hazleton employees do with the dead monkeys?
126-What is bacillus subtilis niger?
127- What do the frying pans release into the air?
128- How long does it take for the frying pan treatment to decon the building?
129-Finish this sentence: At the end of the decon process, the monkey house was the only place on earth where:
______.
130-What happens in the monkey house a month after the building was deconned?
131-Why do the Army, the CDC, and Hazleton decide to let the virus run its course?
132- What is the fatality rate of Ebola Reston among the monkeys?
133-What do all four monkey caretakers in the monkey house have in common?
134- What do USAMRIID scientists eventually conclude about Ebola?
135-During the second Reston outbreak, what does the CDC do?
136- Why is the road to Mt. Elgon so familiar to the author?
137- How has the area around Mt. Elgon changed since McDonald was a boy?
138- What is Robin MacDonald's profession?
139-What reason does Preston give for visiting Kitum Cave?
140-What substance does Preston bring with him to help disinfect anything he might contaminate?
141- What percentage of men and women of child-bearing age who live around Mt. Elgon are thought to be HIV-positive?
142- How many other people are traveling with Preston?
143- Where does the group stop for beer and charcoal?
144- What is an "askari"?
145- What does MacDonald say is missing in the forests of Mount Elgon?
146- About how many elephants make up the Mount Elgon herd?
147- What is Ian Redmond's theory about Kitum Cave?
148. How many other people are traveling with Preston?
149. Where does the group stop for beer and charcoal?
150. What is an "askari"?
151. What does MacDonald say is missing in the forests of Mount Elgon?
152. About how many elephants make up the Mount Elgon herd?
153. What is Ian Redmond's theory about Kitum Cave?