Richard McKay examines the origins of AIDS while providing a critical assessment of how the false narrative of 'Patient Zero' emerged in the United States at the height of the pandemic.

At the height of the AIDS epidemic in the United States, it was reported that many of the country's cases could be traced to a flight attendant by the name of Gaëtan Dugas.

Portrayed as recklessly promiscuous in the critically acclaimed book And the Band Played On, Dugas became a notorious figure.

Yet the sensationalistic narrative would prove woefully inaccurate.

After an ordeal with a false positive AIDS test, history researcher Richard McKay became intrigued by the scapegoating of Dugas and the subsequent evidence casting doubt on the 'Patient Zero' story.

In this book, McKay recounts his close encounter with the disease while revisiting how early research and coverage reflected conservative attitudes toward public health.