Patient Zero: A Curious History of the World's Worst Diseases

How did it start? Why did it spread? How do we stop it?

Packed with one thrilling medical mystery after another, Patient Zero tells the curious stories of 21 of the world's worst diseases - including smallpox, Bubonic plague, polio, AIDS - by combining Patient Zero narratives with historical examinations of missteps, milestones, scientific theories, and more. Discover the tragic story of Zaire schoolteacher Mabalo Lokela, whose relaxing vacation resulted in his becoming Patient Zero of Ebola virus disease. How a rye fungus in 1951 turned a small village in France into a phantasmagoric scene reminiscent of Burning Man. And what the devastating 1918 influenza pandemic has to teach us about COVID-19. (Guess what: There was an anti-mask movement back then, too)