Enion-pox

Initially, Enion was a very valuable planet to Suon-kind as it was terraformed to have an ecosystem similar to Tebburus, making it much easier to live in as a suon. Therefore, a huge colony grew on it. However, a strange alien relic is discovered on Enion. It was only found 13 000 years after colonisation… The scientists did not have a good feeling about this. Carefully they examined it. Before removing even the smallest of parts to reverse engineer it, it was scanned about 10 times.
Apparently, it wasnt enough.
Asteroids started falling on Enion. Initially it did not cause much damage to the colony, but a previously unknown pathogen was contained in them, that lived in the rocks. It was observed to zombify anything it infected, forming organ-like entities on the outside of the infected creature. After it was found to be able to infect larger creatures such as suons, every known method was employed to keep it at bay, to no avail. To the clean up teams, the external organs presented a weak spot, as when all of them were hit the whole thing dies instantly, as whatever is infected is technically already dead.
And so, planet Enion was lost once again, this time for good.
The origins of the artifact remain unknown, as is the civilization that built it.

Enion-pox was the name given to the pathogen and can infect pretty much any organism.

Transmission & Vectors

It can live in rocks (as evidenced by its asteroid based origin). It may form blisters on the rocks that can infect nearby lifeforms via the air. Blisters can form (and grow better) on infected creatures too. The blisters emit spores of enion pox. When they enter a body, they will attempt to enter the bloodstream and then reproduce. They can enter a body via any natural body entrances, e.g. mouth, ears, nose.

Symptoms

In the early stages, before taking control of the host, it is difficult to know if one has it. While a scan will pick it up easily, the symptoms in this stage are minimal. In the 2nd stage where it starts forming colonies, symptoms become more obvious form the outside. Small bulges can be seen form the outside. They should probably see a doctor immediately. In the 3rd stage it becomes very obvious. It forms huge glowing blisters. At that point, though, it is too late to get treatment. At this point, the host either cant control its own body or will soon lose control.

Treatment

Treatment in early stages is surprisingly easy. Individuals that were evacuated from Enion were provided with advanced medicine. This prevented its spread to other planets. Once it truly manifests and controls the host, then treatment becomes an issue. Notably, the host has technically already been killed by the virus at this point and becomes a zombie. But it can be killed completely by shooting the blisters, which will not stand up to gunfire. Hitting a different body part that is not a blister wont have much effect; its already dead.

Prognosis

Stage 1: Enion pox spores initially enter the body. It will try to reach the bloodstream and then reproduce. This will prove more difficult in some organs more than others. For example, it can more easily move through the lungs than the intestine. Once in the bloodstream, it reproduces to gain a significant mass. Once it has a significant mass and overpopulates the blood it will move on to stage 2. Stage 2: It attempts to form the first colonies. It forms several under the skin and many more deeper. They will continually expand as it eats more of the host from the inside. Once they grow to a large enough volume, they try to link up with other colonies and form a single large colony spanning the entire body. But that is stage 3. Stage 3: It establishes a single, body spanning colony. This is heavily rooted to the nervous system. It will attempt to infect the brain, taking control of it and killing the host itself, which is lucky because if it didn't the host would have to feel it. Enion pox will continually restore the body and keep it functional and try infect other lifeforms. The biological processes of the parasite creates a lot of heat. It evolved to form blisters on the outside to help cool the body down. As such, they form a vital part of the final stage enion pox; when they are all destroyed, it dies completely.

Type

Parasitic

Origin

Alien

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Common