Grey Death
Extremely virulent disease responsible for several terrible epidemies, the worst one responsible for stopping first wave of human expansion by decimating southern human tribes around 920 PIE. However it is believed to rage around human population at least back to Ancient Era, with Grey Death being problem big enough for Xylian Dominion to ensuring their geneengineered slaves will be resistant to it by means of advanced genmaturgy.
Transmission & Vectors
Grey Death spreads through air (via droplets), blood and sexual contact.
Causes
While transmission through air is the most common one, the general chance of infecting others that way is relatively low, with grey death virus very susceptible to natural defensive measures that protect humans from catching ilnesses via mouth and, especially, nose (the chance to catch grey death is lowered significantly by breathing through nose). It is also very susceptible to cold, being able to thrive in mediterrean climate but dying quickly in cold winter air.
Transmission by contact with blood and sex has close to 100% chance to infect, but due to their nature they are relatively rare when compared to airborne transmission.
Symptoms
Symptoms include fever, general weakness and lack of strenght. Victims tend to be barely able to eat, in later stages not strong enough to even stand. The most noticable symptom, however, are parts of skin turning into a gray color, from which the name of the disease is taken. In last stages of infection - where death of the infected is almost guaranteed - the gray patches begin to rot, producing particularly awful stench.
When the disease progresses through the most virulent path (in case of old and generally weak infected) the grey patches in most cases have no time to form, instead replaced by hairloss and vomits with blood and rotten tissue.
Treatment
Most modern alchemical drugs are at best capable of strenghtening the infected, increasing his chance of survival that can grow up to 75%. However if disease proceeds through the virulent path, there is nothing that can be done.
Prognosis
It is believed that after succesful infection the disease enters approximately two week long incubation period, with the infected being capable to spread the infection further since the seventh day onward. Thus it is made even more dangerous since the infected won't know he is infected for around 5-6 more days.
After entering 'active' period the course differs quite heavily depending on many factors. Infected with their immune system weakened (elders, those with some sort of wasting sickness) die within three to four days. Normally the disease remains for one to two weeks, with approximately 60% mortality rate. Rest recovers, but might remain weakened for at least a month, leaving them vulnerable for other sicknesses.
Epidemiology
The relatively long incubation period makes this disease a particulary dangerous one, capable of travelling from city to city for example via ships. Most of the past epidemies tended to hit coasts of Native Sea, Akhad or Kasytian Empire, due to compatible climate and the extensive use of naval trade routes.
Type
Viral
Origin
Natural
Cycle
Short-term
Rarity
Uncommon
Affected Species
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