Part Four: "Kitum Cave"

PART FOUR

In the end of the book Preston recalls his visit to Africa. While he’s there he remembered what it was living there as a child. During his visit he went to Kitum Cave in Mount Elgon. He took Kinshasa Highway to get there. This highway is also known as AIDS Highway because most of the towns along the road had AIDS outbreaks. Accompanying Preston was his guide Robin MacDonald, Robin’s family, and 4 other men. He entered Kitum Cave protected by a body suit, a hood, gloves, boots, and a respirator. After leaving he made sure to soak everything in bleach and seal them in plastic bags. Once back in the US he eventually visited the monkey house in Reston, Virginia. Preston suggests that Ebola will return.

Overall Response

This book was simultaneously informative and interesting to read. Parts of the book were actually suspenseful. These parts include when Nancy Jaax was almost infected with Ebola. The parts where the characters realized that a strain of Ebola was in the monkey house and then developed a plan to eradicate the monkeys were also suspenseful.  This book was an eye opener as to how much animal testing actually goes on and was kind of upsetting in that aspect. The book was also easy to read and people without a background in biology would be able to understand it without any issues. The virus itself was very scary and disturbing. Being infected with Ebola is probably the worst way for someone to die.