Anyone work for the CDC

Cathy C

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I'm trying to bounce something off a researcher from the Center for Disease Control for the urban fantasy I'm writing (4th in the Blood Singer series). In my reality, there's also a Center for Magical Disease Control (when spells backfire and become a pathogen to humans). A doctor I'm inserting is with the CMDC in Atlanta and I want his personality and language to be right for the text. It's not a major scene. I've already done the research on the mycobacterium involved so I'm okay there, but I'd like some the ancilliary language to sound realistic. :)

Thanks!
 
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Kitty Pryde

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Don't know one, but it's the Centers For Disease Control. "Level Four: Virus Hunters of the CDC" is a great book by some CDC folks. And "Virus Hunter" by CJ Peters (from USAMRIID who collaborates with CDC some). Both first-hand accounts of thrilling disease fighting. I used to be obsessed with the subject. These books are like "The Hot Zone," only not bad and sensationalized.
 
Cathy C

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Read The Hot Zone and Flu, both of which were fascinating. Hadn't heard of the others. I'll go over to Amazon now. Thanks, Kitty!
 
OneWriter

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May I also recommend "And the band played on" by Randy Shilts. Or watch the movie. I once heard Dr. Jaffe give a one-hour talk on the AIDS CDC investigation and it was fascinating.
You might also be interested in just downloading the reports off the CDC website. Try and find a virus or bacteria that's similar to what you need in your fiction.
That will definitely give you an idea of the lingo.
 
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backslashbaby

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My cousin is a researcher for them. I have her brother's webpage e-mail; they're close. Let me know if you'd like it.

I'd get in touch myself and ask her to get back to me, but I've run into folks not getting back to me and then I'm all embarrassed and stuff. I'll cut out the middleman, lol.
 
GeorgeK

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Cathy C said:
I've already done the research on the mycobacterium involved so I'm okay there, but I'd like some the ancilliary language to sound realistic. :)

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Mycobacterium is a good choice. m. Tuberculosis is known in medicine as "The Great Imitator". It can do all sorts of things already on its own without magic. At least, we think it's not magic that allows it to do the things it does.
 
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backslashbaby said:
My cousin is a researcher for them. I have her brother's webpage e-mail; they're close. Let me know if you'd like it.

I'd get in touch myself and ask her to get back to me, but I've run into folks not getting back to me and then I'm all embarrassed and stuff. I'll cut out the middleman, lol.
Click to expand...

That would be AWESOME! If you could PM me with it, I'd be very grateful. And don't worry--I'm not a nag or go weird on professionals or anything. LOL!
 
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