Book Review
Level 4: Virus Hunters of the CDC
Updated Edition
J.B. McCormick and S. F. Hoch
Barnes and Noble Books, 1999, 397 pp.
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Autobiographical story of the epidemiological field work by
a husband and wife team investigating Lassa and Ebola in Zaire,
Sudan, and Nigeria. Book consists mainly of anecdotes and case
histories of their African patients and the authors' attempts
to trace the sources of epidemics of diseases caused by Level
4 viruses. The two authors have similar writing styles which
sometimes causes confusion about which of them is talking.
Describes their often reckless and careless approach to treatment
which, if practiced here, could well have caused them serious legal
problems. For example, in one case, they trained a British
nurse inadequately, then delayed giving ribavirin after she
contracted Lassa fever as a result of her inadequate training,
and finally they transfused her with blood containing the wrong
Rh factor.
Find out what those guys at that 'other' government
public health lab are up to. A quick but interesting read.
Book is published by Barnes and Noble, and is available from
Amazon only by special order. A clever but futile attempt by
the publisher to fight back against Internet book dealers.
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