Slag Fever

Arantine had been a miner, or more accurately, a carter, since she was just a girl, doggedly trundling ore-laden wagons up and down warm tunnels slick with rainwater. It had been a hotter summer than most years, but she found respite in the simple act of running her hands along the wet walls and rubbing the cool water across her face. She found herself feeling more tired than usual, and more thirsty, but pressed on - she couldn't afford a day without pay, after all.
Three days later, she was bedridden, unable to stand as her head pounded and her vision swam, meekly accepting water from the dormitory matron, who had lain an old iron serving bowl on her belly. The weight of the thing was uncomfortable, but the cool water and cold stones within helped to wrangle the fever away from more dizzying heights, and allowed her to wet her brow and drip water into her parched mouth with a clean rag.

Transmission & Vectors

Waterborne.
Found in groundwater and stillwater, Slag Fever bacteria is uncommon, but surprisingly resilient, able to survive the cold stress of their environment (averaging 10 degrees) by going dormant until warmer months come to provide an adequate level of heat to allow for growth.
When consumed, the bacteria reacts to the heightened temperature by going into reproductive overdrive, making the most of what is naturally a short-lived rise in temperature. The rapidly increasing bacteria count triggers a significant autoimmune response.

Causes

The Slag Fever bacteria, ingested in water improperly boiled, begins to reproduce within 8-16 hours as the bacteria beings to react to the warm internal temperatures of the body, possibly prompting an immediate autoimmune response.

Symptoms

Early stages of Slag Fever involve dehydration, hot flushes and headaches, as the body begins to respond to the infection.
Middling stages of Slag Fever involve dehydration, fevers, headaches and fatigue.
Late stages of Slag Fever involve dehydration, excessive sweating, dangerously high temperatures, painful headaches and fatigue. Late stages of Slag Fever can prove fatal.

Treatment

Managing the temperature will keep the infection under control, so bed rest, cool water and cool temperatures are required to treat the disease naturally.
Late stage Slag Fever requires intervention, as the growth of the bacteria is using the fever to outpace the immune response using the increased heat. Cold water, crushed ice and any other means to lower the temperature of the patient should be explored, though the frailty of the patient at this advaced stage is severe. High fluid intake, breaking of the fever, and long days of bed rest are required to treat the disease at this late stage.

Prognosis

Treated properly, full recover is probable. If left untreated into later stages, systemic damage, brain damage and death are possible outcomes.

Sequela

Laggard Hide

The deadening of the body's sense of temperature

Prevention

Boiling water before drinking, especially if sourced from natural locations, is the most effective deterrent - the disease cannot survive the temperature of boiling water. Consuming frozen water, even if containing the bacteria, reduces the risk of infection, as the bacteria is not quick enough to easily adapt from cold to hot temperatures to survive the stomach.

Epidemiology

The disease effects people in close contact and in warm environments most significantly, meaning the disease is relatively quick to spread through families, close sleeping quarters, lovers, and providers of food or water.

History

Though not the first recorded case, the Althanasian Al-Thane Brejan Banfryst and siblings contracted this disease as a child. Unfamiliar with the disease, which normally strikes at more temperate locales, the Banfryst family lost two heirs, placing Brejan at the first seat in the line of succession.

Type

Bacterial

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Common