Contagion Movie Extra Credit Microbiology Homework Assignment



Analysis of the Movie “Contagion”

Test Grade – Please be detailed and specific

Name: __________________________________________

Use bullet point notes to answer the questions as you watch the movie. Go back later and research the topics indicated within the questions that state “Look up”.

List of characters:

Marion Cotillard - Dr. Leonora Orantes – WHO epidemiologist

Kate Winslet – Dr. Erin Mears – CDC epidemic intelligence service officer

Jennifer Ehle – Dr. Ally Hextall – main doctor working on vaccine development

Jude Law – Alan Krumwiede - blogger

Laurence Fishburne – Dr. Ellis Cheever – CDC medical official

Sanaa Lathan – Aubrey Cheever

Matt Damon – Mitch Emhoff

Gwyneth Paltrow – Beth Emhoff

Anna Jacoby-Heron – Jory Emhoff

Griffin Kane – Clark Morrow (Mitch’s stepson)

Basic Facts about the disease:

1. List as many transmission pathways shown in the movie as you can.

2. The epidemic intelligence service officer from the CDC, Kate Winslet/Dr. Erin Mears, has 2 major goals in going to Minnesota, as told to her by Lawrence Fishburn/Dr. Ellis Cheever. Her job is to: 

3. What location did the disease originate in?

4. What two types of animals did this virus develop in before it made the jump to infecting humans?

5. Who was the first person infected (index patient)?

6. The Ro (reproductive rate number) describes the number of expected secondary cases resulting from a single infectious case. For smallpox the Ro is 5-7. How does the Ro for this infectious disease compare? 

7. Where is the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)?

8. Where is the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO)?

9. What type of infectious agent caused this disease?

10. What was the specific name given to it?

11. What two main body systems did it affect (tissue tropism)?

12. Look up: What is the difference between a sign and a symptom of disease?

13. What are the signs and symptoms of the disease featured in this movie (HINT: what is going on with the infected people?)?

14. What are fomites?

15. Before a vaccine can be developed, researchers need to find a way to grow the infectious agent in a laboratory. What was the initial problem with trying to grow this infectious agent in the lab?

16. What was the time frame from infection to symptom development?

17. What was the time time of exposure to death?

18. What ratio or percentage of infected people died – aka mortality rate?

19. What was the average number of people that an infected person would directly transmit the disease to?

20. As the virus mutates into a new strain, what does the Ro, mortality rate, and amount of people infected change to without a vaccine?

21. Is the vaccine that is produced in the movie a dead vaccine or living, attenuated vaccine? 

22. Look up: Describe each of the vaccine types in the question above and why there is a need for both types.

23. At the very end of the movie, it shows the modes of transmission of the disease & how our index patient received it. Describe how a virus from a bat ended up as a hybrid virus in a pig, and how Beth got it..

Basic facts about the societal issues involved:

24. Why was the blogger Alan Krumwiede (played by Jude Law) considered such a threat? At best he believed he was helping the public, at worst, he was just trying to make money by exploiting the situation. Regardless, his actions were making things worse. Explain how things got worse & the role he played in making these things happen.

25. Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) ingested Forsythia when he began feeling ill, and he ultimately did not get the disease. Why can one not conclude that the Forsythia prevented Alan from developing the disease? Please give a detailed response. There are several reasons given during the movie as to why we cannot conclude that Forsythia cured him.

26. Look up: What information (factual data) can you find about forsythia and its use for treatment of infectious diseases? 

27. Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard), a World Health Organization epidemiologist, was kidnapped. What was the ultimate purpose behind her kidnapping? Did the kidnappers get what they wanted? Explain what happened in this whole event.

28. Look up: Dr. Erin Mears, played by Kate Winslet, was an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer from the CDC. She performed a similar role in investigating the disease as did Dr. Ornates. Explain what some of the duties of an epidemiologist and an epidemic intelligence service officer.

29. Dr. Ellis Cheever (played by Lawrence Fishburne) was a medical official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What did he get in trouble for doing? Why do you think his actions were considered unethical for a man in his position?

30. Dr. Ally Hextall (played by Jennifer Ehle) was the main character working on development of a vaccine. What did she personally do that eventually led to the development of a successful vaccine?

31. Look up: While visiting her father, they discussed the parallels between what she had just done and the work of Dr. Barry Marshall. Who was Barry Marshall, and in what way was his scientific work similar to that of the fictional Dr. Hextall?

32. Print out the page or take good notes over the outbreak identification on this website:

CDC Quick Learn: Recognizing the Biosafety Levels.

Go to the following website, go through the pages



1) Define each of the following hotlinked words. Click on the word to access the definition.

a. Microbe

b. Route of exposure – also list the 4 main routes

c. Standard microbial practices – also list the 3 examples given

d. Non-pathogenic

e. Personal protective equipment – also list the 7 examples given

f. Indigenous

g. Autoclave

h. Respirators

i. Class III BSC

j. Positive pressure protective suit

2) Complete the table on the next page.

3) Answer the four exercise questions:

a. Exercise 1 _________________________

b. Exercise 2 _________________________

c. Exercise 3 _________________________

d. Exercise 4 _________________________

|Lab type |Type of microbe |Laboratory practices |Safety equipment |Facility construction |

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|BSL-3 | | | | |

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|BSL-4 | | | | |

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