“The book reads like a thriller, with gripping accounts of how these diseases affected people. Patient Zero reminds us that millions of people owe their lives to the work of these pioneer epidemiologists, work that continues to this day. The result is spine-chilling as Peters follows the scientists who solved the intricate mystery of the killer epidemics. Patient Zero brilliantly brings to life the main characters and events to tell the gripping tale of how each of seven diseases spread. It led to the death of 10,000 inhabitants exposed to the dirty water. John Snow’s mapping of an epidemic found that patient zero was a six-month-old baby, whose cholera-laden diarrhea had contaminated the water of a local pump. But they kept hunting for answers, putting the pieces of the epidemic puzzle together.Īs they looked for clues to the origin of a disease, scientists searched for the unknown “patient zero”-the first person to have contracted it. Engrossing true stories of the pioneers of epidemiology who risked their lives to find the source of deadly diseases.

Often they were ignored, laughed at, or even fired from their jobs. The courageous, trail-blazing defenders against these diseases faced a terrifying personal gamble. Throughout history, more people have died in disease epidemics than in wars or other disasters. This revised edition combines a brand-new design with updated information and features diseases such as Spanish Influenza, Ebola, and AIDS, as well as a new chapter on Covid-19.Engrossing true stories of the pioneers of epidemiology who risked their lives to find the source of deadly diseases.

Patient Zero tracks the gripping tales of eight epidemics and pandemics-how they started, how they spread, and the fight to stop them. Epidemiologists have been ignored, mocked, or silenced all while trying to protect the population and identify 'patient zero'-the first person to have contracted the disease, and a key piece in solving the epidemic puzzle. More people have died in disease epidemics than in wars or other disasters, but the process of identifying these diseases and determining how they spread is often a terrifying gamble. Read full overviewĮngrossing true stories of the pioneers of epidemiology who risked their lives to find the source of deadly diseases-now revised to include updated information and a new chapter on Covid-19. More people have died in disease epidemics than in wars or. Engrossing true stories of the pioneers of epidemiology who risked their lives to find the source of deadly diseases-now revised to include updated information and a new chapter on Covid-19.

Patient zero by marilee peters