American Museum of Natural History

Immediate Release
February 1999
FACT SHEET

EXHIBITION	Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease
DATES	February 27-September 6, 1999
CONTENT Continuing the Museum's strong tradition of public health education, Epidemic! The World of Infectious Disease examines in detail one of the most critical issues facing humanity in the 21st century: how best to control the worldwide spread of infectious disease. This timely exhibition explores the biological and ecological factors that influence the causes, spread, and control of infectious disease, and investigates the ways in which different cultures meet and fight devastating diseases. In emphasizing the delicate balance among microorganisms, humans, and other species within an environment, Epidemic! stresses the crucial need to understand the global nature of infectious disease. The exhibition uses an imaginative array of dioramas, three-dimensional models, videos, films, state-of-the-art interactive computer stations, photographs, and comprehensive wall text to lead visitors on an investigation of the world of infectious disease. The story is told on several levels, so that both children and adults will learn more about how infectious disease affects them, and what they can do about it. Throughout the exhibition, specific diseases, including malaria, flu, tuberculosis, AIDS, Lyme disease, and the illness caused by E. coli 0157: H7, are used as examples to illustrate the larger issues of containment, treatment, and prevention in different historical and cultural contexts.
The exhibition is divided into the following sections: The Prologue introduces the visitor to the world of infectious disease with a video presentation that uses images and text gathered from newspaper headlines, television newscasts, and public service announcements. Environmental Change focuses on the interactions of microbes, humans, and all other species sharing an environment, and explains what can happen when ecological conditions change. A diorama on the 1993 hantavirus outbreak illustrates the effects of a short-term shift in ecological conditions. This section also examines the effects of long-term environmental changes, using the history of malaria to explain how differing rates of evolution and adaptation in microbes and in humans, as well as human behavior, can contribute to the spread of disease. It's a Small World: Microbes and Others defines microorganisms, focusing on five different groups of organisms which are responsible for most of the world's epidemic diseases: bacteria, viruses, protists, fungi, and helminths. Colorful, three-dimensional models of these organisms and an interactive scan of the human body illustrate the diversity of microbes and the fact that many of them are helpful to our bodies. The Study of Microbes provides historical perspectives, and details the technological advances that have enabled scientists to study microbes and develop vaccines and medicines in the laboratory. A modern-day lab, as well as a "high containment" lab, are the main focus of this section, which includes a variety of interactive stations where visitors learn about the kinds of equipment, diagnostic techniques, and medical research methods that are used in the study of microbes today. Infection focuses on how microbes enter the human body, and how the body responds to the ensuing infection. This section includes a large animated video projection that follows a flu microbe as it is inhaled by a human, causing an infection in the respiratory system. Three-dimensional models and interactive stations illustrate how the immune system fights infection, and how medicines work. Outbreak uses case studies to explain how an infection is spread locally through a human population; this section incorporates stories of actual outbreaks around the world, including the black plague in fourteenth-century Venice, cholera in nineteenth-century London, and Legionnaire's Disease and food poisoning in late-twentieth-century United States. Epidemic/Pandemic describes how human populations are now linked globally through infectious disease. Large animated maps of the world illustrate how trade, travel and migration; war; climate; and urbanization have all contributed to the spread of specific diseases. The AIDS pandemic - a global epidemic - is a major focus of this section. The concluding section, Taking Action, examines many of the ways in which individuals, the local community, and the global population can take action in dealing with infectious disease. One of the highlights in this section is a panel from the AIDS Memorial Quilt, on loan from the NAMES Project. During the run of the exhibition several different panels, each commemorating an individual or a group of friends who died from AIDS, will be displayed on a rotating basis. Taking Action includes a large resource center, which offers visitors the opportunity to further explore the world of infectious disease. The center uses a variety of formats, ranging from specially created pages on the Museum's Web site to a small library of reference works.
ORGANIZATION	Rob DeSalle, associate curator, Department of Entomology, and co-director of the Museum's molecular laboratories.
PROGRAMMING	In conjunction with Epidemic!, The Museum's Department of Education has developed a full complement of programs for adults and children, including lectures, panel discussions, films, and family programs. The Department has also published a free booklet for children on infectious disease, Infection Detection Protection, which is available in English and Spanish in the exhibition. In addition, in July 1999, the Department is publishing a book of essays selected and organized by Dr. DeSalle, which will feature selections written by members of the Epidemic! Advisory Committee (see attached list).
SPONSORHIP	This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Major funding has also been provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund.

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For more information, contact the Museum's Department of Communications, 212-769-5800.

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