Brain Slugs

After examining the crew, the only diagnosis I can think of is brain slugs. The glazed look over their eyes, their lethargic movements and indifference to stimuli, and the most telling symptom: slowly dismantling the ship to make a saltwater pulp mash on the deck. As there is currently no known way to safely remove brain slugs, for the safety of the unaffected, my recommendation is to terminate the infected." - Medical Officer Ibringer

Transmission & Vectors

It is currently unknown how the parasites infect their hosts, however, it is known that they reproduce in mounds of woody pulp soaked in saltwater. The best guess of the medical community is that they are either consumed or inhaled.

Causes

The current theory is that brain slugs begin their life cycle as spore-like organisms. They grow best in salted wood pulp mounds. It is thought that the spores release into the air as the mounds dry up. From the air, they attach to other surfaces until inhaled or consumed by their hosts.

Symptoms

Glazed over eyes. Slow, lethargic movement. Unresponsiveness. If possible, creating piles of saltwater soaked woody pulp, or, if not possible, moving to one until the death of the host.

Treatment

There is no currently known remedy for the advanced stage of the disease. Those with familiarity of brain slugs usually recommend termination of the host. Those without try a variety of folk remedies. Surgeries have been attempted, but due to quality of tools and technique, they have not been effective.
If caught in the early stages, consuming only fresh water for a week has successfully eliminated the symptoms, and presumably the slugs.

Prognosis

The first stage of the infection is the person frequently spacing out. This occurs for about three days consecutively, and is considered the window of opportunity for a potentially successful treatment. After three days, the infected's eyes glaze over and they lose responsiveness, and may start damaging wooden items. After two days in that state, the infected will begin to mindlessly grow a pile of wood pulp and add saltwater. They will continue to do this until death, without regard for physical needs.

Sequela

If treated, the afflicted is likely going to be in a weakened state for a while having had nothing but water for seven days. During this weakened state, they may be more likely to contract other diseases.

Affected Groups

Those who live near the shore as well as sailors are most at risk.

Hosts & Carriers

Brains slugs have been observed to infect nearly any species, although they are most noticeable when they infect a species capable of forming large wood mounds.
A notable exception is insects. They seem to be totally immune. Some ant species have been seen raiding the wood mounds.

Prevention

The best prevention for brain slugs is staying well hydrated and avoiding salted wood.

Epidemiology

The general consensus is that brain slugs are probably inhaled or ingested, and spread through their spawning mounds. An outbreak occurs when an infected organism starts to build a spawning mound, and that mound achieves a critical mass. As more organisms get infected, the mound gets larger and larger, until all the hosts die.

History

The first recorded case of brain slugs occurred in the year 204, when a warlord looking to ambush a rival attacked a neighboring village. To his and his men's surprise, none of the villagers were asleep. They were gaunt as they piled more and more wood up into a pit in the town and carried buckets of seawater. Confused, but undeterred, his men slaughtered the entire town without any resistance. In the smashed heads of some of the townspeople they found strange wormy creatures wriggling around. They proceeded to burn everything and retreat.
There have been several cases of entire towns being wiped out by the disease. Some heavily damaged ships have also been found with corpses of the crew on top of a mound of salted wood pulp.

Cultural Reception

There is a general sense of unease about the victims of brain slugs. It's frequently a joke when people are caught daydreaming or not paying attention to assert "Brain slugs." However, when the condition is actually brain slugs, people either flee, kill the infected, or wash everything they can with clean water.

Type

Parasitic

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Rare