The Hot Zone

Dear Student,

I am so glad you chose to read the Hot Zone for your science fair project. Over the next 6 weeks, you will be reading and answering the questions in the following packet. Each of the six sections of this book has been divided into smaller sections to make reading easier. There will be a reading guide and reading quiz for each section. At the end February, you will be required to put together a tri-fold for the science fair over a virus that you have researched. This will be an informational poster, and just like science fair, will not require a major paper. (But you will have to do a little research and gather facts.)

Reading in science may not be something that you are used to doing. We read in science to learn more about the scientific process and to practice our reading comprehension skills across the curriculum. I do expect you to read carefully for comprehension. Assessments will gage your understanding of major plot events and important scientific decisions. You will need some sort of folder to keep all of your reading assignments and quizzes in.

I cannot stress enough the importance of taking the time to complete the assigned readings. Be aware of your assignments and if you know you will be busy one night, take time to read ahead.

The Hot Zone will show us a practical application of our knowledge the scientific method and scientific investigation, cells and viruses, Koch’s Postulates, proper laboratory techniques and cooperation between scientists (all things we have studied so far this year!!). Keep in mind that you will have reading guides to help focus your reading and quizzes to check on your progress.

I hope you enjoy this reading unit and that you participate as much as possible.

Good Luck in Your Reading!

Pre-Reading Activity:Bird Flu, West Nile Virus, Ebola, cholera: these are all diseases that we hear about in the daily news. How much do you really know about disease? As a person in today’s society it is important that you understand how and why people get sick.

Where do diseases come from?

How are diseases spread?

Whose job is it to make sure that you are safe?

While reading this novel, there are several questions that you will explore. Your first assignment for the novel will be to answer these questions below. What you think matters so please be thoughtful and answer in complete sentences! After we have finished reading the novel, you will have a chance to respond to these questions again and explain what if anything changed your mind as you read the novel.

1. With the recent news about the flu how well do you think the United States government handles the protection of our health? What kind of resources and authority should government agencies have to control or prevent the outbreak of a disease or virus that could grow to epidemic proportions?

2. Should the government decide what its citizens do and do not see and hear on public radio, television reports, and in the newspapers? Should the government have total control and/or restriction over items (animal, vegetable, mineral, etc.) coming into our country that might cause an epidemic?

3. A pandemic is a worldwide epidemic; the last one occurred in 1918. Are we prepared as a government to handle another flu pandemic? Even if we are prepared, if 30 to 40 million died during the last pandemic, what might be some of the consequences of a pandemic given today’s populations?

4. Paving over dirt roads to create tar highways has introduced new diseases and problems; this was seen with the AIDS outbreaks and the AIDS highway. How have modern conveniences changed the way people get sick today?

Your first assignment for the novel will be to answer these questions below. What you think matters so please be thoughtful and answer in complete sentences! After we have finished reading the novel, you will have a chance to respond to these questions again and explain what if anything changed your mind as you read the novel.

DUE: Fri, Jan 25

Section 1 Notes- Something in the Forest- Pages 1-24: Its 1980, Charles Monet takes a trip to Mt. Elgon. He falls ill and travels to Nairobi for treatment.

Diagnosis- Pages 24-47: Dr. Musoke treats the sick Monet and becomes ill as well. Antonia Bagshawe and an American scientist, David Silverman, work to treat Dr. Musoke. Silverstain describes the history of the disease to the author, Richard Preston.

Total Immersion- Pages 48-75: Its 1983, we are introduced to Major Nancy Jaxx, a military researcher who studies Level 4 viruses.

Identify these main Characters:Charles Monet:

Shem Musoke:

David Silverstein:

Major Nancy Jaxx:

Major Jerry Jaxx:

Colonel Gene Johnson:

Summarize these important events that happen:Monet’s Mt Elgon/Kitum Cave Trip:

Contact with vectors in the cave:

Charles Monet’s illness (Symptoms of Disease/Treatment of Disease):

Inappropriate treatment of Monet in the hospital:

Dr. Musoke’s illness (Symptoms and Treatment):

DUE: Mon, Jan 28

Describe these Major Ideas/Concepts:The “Net”: Filoviruses:

USAMRIID:

Preparation for working at USAMRIID Level 4:

Why Nancy works in the Level 4 Hot Zone:

Define this new Science Vocabulary:Filovirus:

Vector:

Marburg virus:

Ebola Zaire/Ebola Sudan:

Extreme Amplification:

Biosafety Levels in Lab:

Section 1 Supplemental Reading:

Viruses (including filoviruses) have some, but not all, of the traits of other living things. Unlike other living things, viruses are not made up of cells. Like living things, viruses can reproduce; however, viruses can only reproduce when inside the cells of other living things.

People often visit a doctor when they have a sore throat. The nurse may take a throat culture to find out what is causing the throat to become red and sore. The culture is then grown in a medical lab. If the culture shows that a virus is causing the sore throat, not much can be done to make it better. Viruses cause illnesses such as colds, flu, sore throat, mumps and chicken pox.

A virus is a non-cellular organism that is made up of genetic material and protein. Some scientists think that viruses evolved from cell organelles that may have found a way to live and reproduce outside of cells. A cell is made up of two main parts, a protein coatand nucleic acid. The protein makes up the outer coat of the virus. The nucleic acid contains instructions for making more viruses.

What is a virus?

Viruses can reproduce only when inside the cells of living organisms. Reproduction is the process of making more of the same kind. To reproduce a virus must first contact a living cell. The virus attaches itself to the cell wall. The virus then produces a chemical that breaks down the cell wall. The nucleic acid of the virus invades the cell through the cell wall. The virus leaves behind its empty protein coat. Inside the cell, the viral nucleic acid directs the cell to make new viruses. As many as 300 viruses may be produced inside one cell.

Describe the process of viral amplification:

Why are viruses harmful to people?

Describe how Monet’s illness progressed on a cellular level:

DUE: Fri, Feb 1

Section 2 NotesTotal Immersion- Pages 76-94: Nancy Jaxx works with Gene Johnson in the Level 4 lab. They are examining monkeys in a controlled experiment on Ebola. Nancy has an accident while working.

Ebola River- Pages 95-130: This section discusses an outbreak of Ebola Sudan and the outbreak of Ebola Zaire in Africa in 1976. Researchers in the United States tried to track the disease, but couldn’t find the cause.

Cardinal & Going Deep- Pages 131-153: In 1987 another mysterious case of Marburg is found in a young boy who visited Kitum Cave. In 1988 American researchers traveled to the Cave to try and figure out what is causing the disease.

Identify these main Characters:Ebola Sudan:

Ebola Zaire (Mayinga Strain):

Frederick A. Murphy:

Patricia Webb:

Karl M. Johnson:

Joel Breman:

Eugene (Gene) Johnson:

Summarize these important events that happen:Level 4 necropsy/dissection (including tools and methods used):

Organic compounds in Ebola (2)/Shape of Ebola :

How Ebola (viruses) travels and infects people:

DUE: Mon, Feb 4

Importance in returning to Kitum Cave/What is found:

Describe these Major Ideas/Concepts:Nancy’s “scare” in level 4:

Ebola “burning” through Africa:

Peter Cardinal becomes sick:

Eugene Johnson studies Cardinal’s blood:

Death of Nancy’s experimental and control monkeys:

Define this new Science Vocabulary:Hatbox:

Bio-containment:

Envirochem:

Necropsy:

The Slammer:

Puke Factor:

“Bricks”:

Index Case:

Section 3 Notes- Part 2Reston& Into Level 3- Pages 157-179: In October 1989, an unusual number of monkeys begin to become sick and die in Reston, Virginia. Reston contacts USAMRIID for help.

Exposure- Pages 180-198: By November 1989, researchers at USAMRIID begin to think that the monkeys are dying from Marburg. Several people have been in contact with infected samples.

The First Angel & The Second Angel- Pages 199-217: USAMRIID researches use different tests to test the monkey samples and realize that the monkeys are actually dying of Ebola.

Identify these main Characters:Dan Dalgard:

Crab-eating monkeys:

Bill Volt:

Peter Jahrling:

Thomas Geisbert:

C.J. Peters:

Summarize these important events that happen:Monkeys dying Room F/Unusual events at the monkey house:

How and why did Dalgard get USAMRID involved:

How the virus traveled through the monkey house:

Why are Geisbert and Jahrling nervous:

Jahrlings test results:

DUE: Mon, Feb 11

Describe these Major Ideas/Concepts:What causes Jerry Jaax’s life to change: Quarantine process for monkeys:

Monkey autopsies:

Monkey samples sent to Peter Jahrling: How monkeys in Room F are put to sleep:

Electron microscope used to examine monkey liver:

Testing to determine what virus is causing the monkeys to die:

Define this new Science Vocabulary:simian hemorrhagic fever:

diamond knife:

inclusion bodies/bricks:

laboratory contamination:

Musoke/Boniface/Mayinga Tests:

Section 3 Supplemental Notes:What are examples of these diseases?Eukaryotic Diseases

Prokaryotic Diseases

Viral Diseases

How do we treat diseases?Eukaryotic Diseases

Prokaryotic Diseases

Viral Diseases

How do diseases make us sick?Eukaryotic Diseases

Prokaryotic Diseases

Viral Diseases

Section 4 NotesChain of Command- Page 218-237: Researchers at USAMRIID confirm that the monkeys in Virginia are dying from Ebola. They contact the CDC (Center for Disease Control) to let them know. The army decides they must take action in Virgina.

Garbage Bags, The Mission &Reconnaissance- Page 238-282: Peters, Johnson and Jaxx go to Virginia to get samples of monkey tissue. They take some monkeys back with them to USAMRIDD to work with in the Level-4 lab. The army and the CDC work out a plan for dealing with the Ebola outbreak. After developing a plan, a small team from USAMRIDD, including Jerry Jaxx return to the monkey house to develop a plan for Room H.

Identify these main Characters:Colonel David Huxsoll:

Major General Phil Russell:

Frederick A. Murphy:

Jarvis Purdy:

Lieutenant Colonel Ron Trotter:

Joe McCormick:

Summarize these important events that happen:Interaction between army (USAMRIID) and CDC:

Other outbreaks occurring in the world at this time:

Plan developed for stopping spread of Ebola in Reston:

The three priorities set up for Reston:

DUE: Tues, Feb 19

Nancy’s Jaxx’s “gut” conclusion about the outbreak:

Describe these Major Ideas/Concepts:Three ways to stop an outbreak, and what is chosen for Reston:

Describe the cells from the dead monkeys:

What is the fatality rate for Ebola?

What do you think about the way the monkey organs were transported?

Were any of the workers in Reston at risk according to Jaxx?

Describe the monkeys at Reston:

The first line of defense against a hot agent:

Define this new Science Vocabulary:Mayinga Test:

Extreme Amplification:

Grey Zone:

Species Jumper:

Supplemental Reading Section 4: The questions and answers below come from an interview with Dr. Fredrick A. Murphy, one of the scientists in The Hot Zone. He is actually the person who took the picture on page 118 of your book. Read through the interview and then answer the questions below.

Q: Please explain how Ebola and the other filoviruses are classified and how they are related to other known viruses?

A: The viruses are classified in the family 'Filoviridae', with one genus, 'Filovirus'. There are four known viruses. We have Marburg virus and three Ebola viruses: Zaire, Sudan and Reston. Marburg and Ebola are distinguished by their length when purified. In the unpurified state you get all different lengths of these worm-like virions. When they are purified, the infectivity is associated with a particular particle length, which is slightly different between the Marburg and Ebola, but all of the Ebola viruses are the same length.

Q: Considering how similar the Ebola viruses are, how are they differentiated?

A: They are very close. First of all, there is a very small serologic [chemical] difference among the Ebola viruses which can help distinguish them. Second, there are sequence differences, which can be determined using the tools of molecular biology.

Q: On Oct 13, 1976 you prepared a specimen from an African patient with hemorrhagic fever and suddenly realized it might be deadly serious. Can you tell us what you were thinking at that time?

A: When I put the specimen in the electron microscope, I was sure it was Marburg. I had worked on Marburg in 1967 and 1968 and had done a project on experimental Marburg infection in monkeys. The specimen had come back from Zaire to the CDC in Atlanta in less than optimal condition, with the tubes in the box broken. Anyone else would have taken a look and put the whole box in the autoclave, but Dr. Patricia Webb, wearing gloves, gown and mask, squeezed a few drops of fluid out of the cotton surrounding the broken tubes. That was the material the virus was isolated from. It was placed in tissue culture (monkey kidney cells) for a couple of days then I got a drop of the tissue culture fluid and prepared a specimen for the electron microscope. When I saw what I was sure was Marburg, I shut the electron microscope down and went back to the room in which I had prepared the specimen. This was in the days when hoods were a lot more primitive. I "cloroxed the hell" out of the place where I had done the preparation and carried my discard pan with gown and gloves etc. to the autoclave and ran it. Then I went back to the microscope and called Karl Johnson and Patricia Webb to take a look. I shot a cassette of pictures and with wet negatives, not good for the enlarger and I made prints which were available within minutes. I carried these dripping prints to the office of the Director of the CDC. It was very dramatic.

How can you tell the difference between Marburg and Ebola?

DUE: Fri, Feb 22

How can you tell the difference between the different types of Ebola?

What did Murphy do when he realized that he was looking through his electron microscope at a deadly virus?

Draw a sketch below of the picture that Murphy was taking in 1976. (Remember that its in your book!)

Section 5 Notes- Part 3Insertion- Pages 285-303: Jerry Jaxx takes command of the problem at the monkey house while Nancy remains at USAMRIID to look at tissue samples. One of the workers from the monkey gets sick.

A Man Down & 91-Tangos- Pages 304-326: The USAMRIID team continues working at the monkey house. A dangerous situation arises when a live monkey gets loose.

Inside, A Bad Day & Decon- Pages 327-356: December 18th, 1898, the USAMRIID team finishes removing all of the monkeys from Reston and scrubs clean the entire facility. They even use a special decontaminating gas to infiltrate every surface in the building.

The Most Dangerous Strain- Pages 357-371: January 1990, Ebola resurfaces in the Reston monkey house.

Identify these main Characters:Captain Mark Haines:

Milton Frantig:

Rhonda Williams:

John Coleus:

Jarvis Purdy:

Summarize these important events that happen:“Biocontainment” mission beginning at monkey house:

Media arriving at the monkey house:

Basic procedures for decontamination:

Treatment of the animals:

Examination results of the animals:

DUE: Mon, Feb 25

Monkey escape:

Monkey awaking during necropsy:

William’s dream:

Finding the freezer:

2nd Ebola outbreak after containment:

Nancy’s internal struggle between her work and her father:

Describe these Major Ideas/Concepts:Battery Packs in Hot Zone:

Dangers in the Hot Zone:

Feeling and Emotions of Workers in the Hot Zone:

Results of examinations of the animals:

Transfer of Ebola in the monkey house (air, body fluids):

Emotions of the 91-Tangos:

Original source of the Ebola:

Effects of Ebola Reston on the four Reston workers (their blood):

Define this new Science Vocabulary:T-61:

Bubble Stretcher:

91-T:

Tyvek jumpsuit:

Ketamine:

Pole Syringe:

Elisa Test:

Bacillus subtilis niger:

Disinfecting crystals:

Cycling:

Ebola Reston:

4 sisters:

Section 5 Supplemental Reading: What would a quarantine really look like??

U.S. Laws Grant Broad Authority to Quarantine and Isolate People, But Fears of Being "Roped Off" are Outdated, Experts Report

Taken from http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2008/0916quarantine.shtml, September 16, 2008

In the United States today, "We can quarantine you on planes, trains, boats, in the hospital, at your workplace, in school settings—if necessary, we will find you and the government can quarantine or isolate any of these populations within any of these specific settings," according to James G. Hodge Jr., an associate professor and executive director of the Center for Law and the Public's Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Georgetown University.

But, modern U.S. laws require that quarantine, isolation and other "social distancing" responses to naturally occurring disease outbreaks or to bioterrorism can only be used as a last resort, after all other, less restrictive options have been exhausted, Hodge said. Further, he emphasized that today's laws require those in quarantine or isolation to receive the best available medical care and access to communication with friends and family. Today, he emphasized, "quarantine is not about roping you off in a community or separating you or taking you to the football stadium or to the local hotel."

U.S. laws have been broadened to provide federal and state governments, agencies and the military broad authority to quarantine people exposed to infectious agents, and to isolate individuals who are known to be infected, Hodge explained. In contrast in the United Kingdom, amid rising concerns about viral pathogens: "They actually state that they will not use quarantine in the event of a pandemic flu," Donohue said, although the country's government can execute quarantine procedures at ports related to five specific diseases. In the 19th century, the British monarch had authority to issue quarantine orders, but U.K. laws gradually changed to require the Parliament's blessing on all such efforts, and no quarantine procedures were used in England during the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918,according to Donohue.

Does quarantine work to stop disease outbreaks? Not entirely, Noji said, but such procedures clearly can slow the spread of disease. An outbreak in Thailand, for example, might take an extra month to reach the United States, if quarantine procedures are put into place. "The bottom line is, quarantine is not going to work, but in combination with other measures, perhaps prophylactic antibiotics ... antiviral agents, we can do a much better job at containing an epidemic," he said. Social distancing methods "won't be totally successful," he added, "but they buy us time."

What would a modern quarantine look like?

Who do you think should be in control of public safety and public health?

DUE: Fri, Mar 1

Section 6 Notes- Part 4Highway & Camp- Pages 375-411: In 1993, author Richard Preston returns to Kitum Cave and the Reston monkey house to better understand the outbreaks.

Identify these main Characters:Richard Preston:

MacDonalds:

Summarize these important events that happen:Elephant populations changing:

Author visits Kitum Cave and the abandoned monkey house:

Kinds of possible vectors does Preston finds:

What was learned about emerging viruses:

Describe these Major Ideas/Concepts:The book’s author wonders if AIDS is the “rainforest’s revenge” on humans:

Define this new Science Vocabulary:AIDS Highway:

Jik:

DUE: Mon, Mar 4

Supplemental Section 6:Visit the following website to see pictures of the Reston monkey house: http://www.pbase.com/eeegi/monkeyhouse&page= l. These pictures were taken after the build ling had been abandoned for several years.Back Entrance to the Reston monkey house:

Staging Area: