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. As they looked for clues to the origin of a disease, scientists searched for the unknown 'patient zero'-the first person to have contracted it. But they kept hunting for answers, putting the pieces of the epidemic puzzle together. 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.

She lives with her family in Vancouver, BC.Engrossing true stories of the pioneers of epidemiology who risked their lives to find the source of deadly diseases. Mini-bio: Marilee Peters is a former librarian who over the years has written about politics, theater, the environment, parenting, farming, and health, among other topics. As they looked for clues to the origin of a disease, scientists searched for the unknown “patient zero”-the first person to have contracted it. Synopsis: Engrossing true stories of the pioneers of epidemiology who risked their lives to find the source of deadly diseases. Patient Zero: Solving the Mysteries of Deadly Epidemics by Marilee Peters

Patient zero by marilee peters