HBB: Laurie Garrett’s “The Coming Plague”

The Coming Plague humanizes emerging infectious diseases and outbreak response.

by Tarek Yamani

The Coming Plague is a book by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Laurie Garrett. Published in 1994, this book explores emerging infectious diseases. Garrett does a remarkable job of narrating the process of classifying novel diseases and the precautions taken by scientists
to hinder their spread.

One aspect of The Coming Plague that I appreciate is its simple structure, in which stories of diseases begin with an emergence and then proceed to the preventative measures taken by health agencies, which keep the reader immersed. Garrett frequently begins her accounts of diseases by introducing the reader to an individual experiencing an array of symptoms, setting the stage for what is to become a very high-risk disease. In “Machupo,” chapter one of the book, Garrett opens with: “Karl Johnson fervently hoped that if this disease didn’t kill him soon somebody would shoot him and put him out of his misery. The word ‘agony’ wasn’t strong enough. He was in hell.” She then describes how scientific and public-health teams investigate these mysterious outbreaks, bringing together epidemiologists, virologists, and physicians. In the case of Machupo, Garrett follows virologist Karl Johnson, who was working at the Middle America Research Unit in Panama when he was drawn into the investigation of a mysterious hemorrhagic disease emerging in Bolivia.

What I find particularly interesting, and what makes this book memorable to me, is Garrett’s ability to explain the intricacies of public health in a story-like and conversational manner. She doesn’t simply tell us that Ebola does x, y, and z, but rather delves into the physical and emotional repercussions, using conversations with scientists and health officials. Garrett further emphasizes the human consequences of these diseases through individuals such as virologist Geoffrey Platt. After a direct exposure, Platt grew anxious as he “paced the floors of his lab and house, losing sleep for the first time in his many years of working with lethal viruses.” Platt’s infection was further reflected in his psychosis as he persistently asked, “Who are these people looking at me?” and “Where am I?”

By placing the reader alongside the victim as they confront the fear and uncertainty of infection, Garrett transforms complex virology into a story that feels both informative and deeply human. This is what makes the book compelling to me: rather than reading a textbook about viruses, I was learning about infectious disease through a story. By presenting these experiences in an intimate manner, Garrett makes the science feel more personal and allows the reader to understand the human consequences of infectious disease. I appreciate that she reminds the reader that behind every outbreak is not just a virus to be studied, but people whose physical and emotional health are directly affected.

The Coming Plague is available for purchase in bookstores or online at Amazon or Bookshop.org.