Inside the Hot Zone - by Mark G Kortepeter (Hardcover)

About the Book

An insider's account of one of the most dangerous workplaces on earth: the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland.

Book Synopsis

2021 William E. Colby Award Finalist

Inside the Hot Zone is an insider's account of one of the most dangerous workplaces on earth: the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. A physician, leading biodefense expert, and retired army colonel, Mark G. Kortepeter recounts his decision-making during medical crises that occurred inside this biological warfare defense research facility.

During Kortepeter's seven and a half years in leadership at USAMRIID, the United States experienced some of the most serious threats in modern germ warfare history, including the specter of biological weapons during the Iraq War, the anthrax letters sent after 9/11, and a little-known crisis involving a presumed botulism attack on the president. Inside the Hot Zone is a sobering eye-opener, as Kortepeter describes in gripping detail how he and his USAMRIID colleagues navigated threats from Ebola to anthrax and bioterrorism.

As both a doctor and an army veteran who has worked inside the nation's largest containment laboratory dedicated to biological warfare defense, Kortepeter shares his personal perspective on the dangers and uncertainty of bioweapons and unchecked medical emergencies.

Review Quotes

"Absolutely riveting. Dr. Kortepeter tells a fascinating story. . . . If you want to know what it is to be part of this exceptional team of heroic Americans working in the 'hot zone, ' you should read this book."--Lester Martinez-Lopez, MD, MPH, Maj. Gen. U.S. Army (Ret.), and former commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland

"Writing in a style reminiscent of The Coming Plague, Kortepeter sheds new light on the horrors of bioweapons, on the inner workings of the federal bureaucracy, and on the insiders' views of the anthrax attacks. His expertise and experiences make Inside the Hot Zone compelling reading for anyone interested in scientific, medical, or military thrillers. And, scariest of all, the thrills are real."--Ted Cieslak, MD, Col. U.S. Army (Ret.), medical co-director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and medical director of the Nebraska Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center

"Inside the Hot Zone is a well-written and extremely insightful book that sheds light on a largely unknown coterie of researchers and scientists who are on the front lines of America's fight against biological threat. Its description of the torpid governmental bureaucracy and public apathy that undermine the work of scientists in organizations such as USAMRIID is both revealing and deeply concerning. . . . Inside the Hot Zone is an extremely important book that provides fresh insight for anyone who wants to understand the 'boots on the ground' perspective of current biological and military threats faced in the twenty-first century--a perspective all of us could use in the current world climate."--Joshua Shiver, Journal of Military History

"Inside the Hot Zone is very well written and covers sufficient background about the author's journey, his medical credentials, and simplified explanations of medical diseases and associated protocols. . . . I highly recommend this to all members of the military regardless of rank or branch of service."--Lt. Col. George Hodge, Military Review

"Col. Kortepeter's inside story from the front lines of our nation's defense against the real and increasing threat of biological weapons is fascinating. He gives voice in lucid prose to the unsung heroes working tirelessly at the world's best biodefense research center at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Their mission is to keep America safe, and our nation owes them an enormous debt of gratitude."--Andy Weber, former assistant secretary of defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs

"I highly recommend [Inside the Hot Zone], especially to those wanting a first-person account of what it was and is like being on the leading edge of biosecurity. Biosecurity is a fairly new field, and this book provides a thorough overview of it for those interested in the field. It is also of value to those interested with in-depth knowledge of biosecurity, as it provides a relevant context for many of the events in the past decades that have shaped the field."--Amesh A. Adalja, Health Security

"To understand and appreciate the bravery of the scientists working to protect our nation from such bio-epidemics, as well as how the U.S. military goes about protecting its troops from such threats, Inside the Hot Zone is a terrifying, but indispensable guide."--Joshua Sinai, Washington Times

"While Richard Preston's book The Hot Zone very effectively brought the importance of high containment virus work into the living rooms of America, it was heavily sensationalized and far from what actually occurs in a real BSL-4 laboratory. Dr. Kortepeter paints a much more accurate picture as seen from the inside by the staff who do the dangerous work on a daily basis."--Thomas Geisbert, PhD, expert in Ebola and other high containment viruses at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston National Laboratory

"With extraordinary imagination, a deep knowledge of his subject, and riveting personal accounts of headline-making events in the search for protection against biologic weapons--both manmade and natural--Dr. Mark Kortepeter has written a gripping book. . . . The novice as well as the most experienced student of biological weapons will emerge from a reading of this book better informed, profoundly grateful for the courage and expertise of these 'soldiers in the trenches, ' and surprisingly entertained."--Eric B. Schoomaker, MD, PhD, Lt. Gen. U.S. Army (Ret.), 42nd Army Surgeon General and Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Command

About the Author

Mark G. Kortepeter is a physician trained in infectious diseases and public health with expertise in biological weapons defense. He has held senior positions at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, the Uniformed Services University, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and he has served as the biodefense consultant for the surgeon general of the U.S. Army and as co-chair of NATO's Biomedical Advisory Panel. He is a professor at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, and vice president for global research strategy for Integrum Scientific. Kortepeter coedited the Nebraska Isolation and Quarantine Manual.