Diseases's from sci-fi and other sources:

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Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 12:19pm

A place to discuss disease's RL or SciFi

From the VOY episode of the same name.

PHAGE

The phage was a disease that afflicted the Vidiians, killing thousands daily for approximately 2,000 years. The disease was highly adaptive to nearly every new form of medical treatment, and adapted so fast that their "immunotechnology [could not] keep up." It consumed the Vidiians, at first disrupting their genetic code, then devouring their body tissues and destroying cellular structures. One of the early symptoms of the disease was excruciating joint pain. Some victims had been known to die simply from the agony itself, and euthanasia of afflicted persons was common. (VOY: "Phage", "Faces")

The Vidiians survived in the short term by making extensive use of transplantation and organ piracy, using transporter technologyto literally steal healthy organs from the bodies of their owners. Increasingly desperate, the Vidiians resorted to kidnapping members of other species and experimenting on them.

A Vidiian scientist, Sulan, believed that research into Klingon genetic material would eventually lead to a cure. (VOY: "Faces")

In 2375, a group known as the Think Tank claimed to have cured the phage. (VOY: "Think Tank")

In 2376, Doctor Lewis Zimmerman was suffering from a disease which was similar to the early stages of the phage. (VOY: "Life Line")

The term "phage" is short for bacteriophage. The term "phage" itself literally means "to eat." A bacteriophage is a virus that reproduces within a bacterium - it infectsbacteria by attaching a hollow protein tail to a bacteria cell wall, injecting DNA (or sometimes, RNA) into the cell. Bacteriophages live at the expense of the bacteria they inhabit, and in most cases eventually kill their bacterial hosts.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Phage

This is a nice creepy disease as it leads to organ & tissue theft and horribly patched worked sufferers of the illness. I think this one might adapt nicely with a SF background. The race in question might have a nick name like "The Collector's", maybe be a bit of spacer's myth from outside the Frontier..

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 12:42pm

Darnay's disease was a terminal disease with no known cure which attacked the central nervous system and the brain. Among its symptoms were coughing, pain, shortness of breath, irritability, and erratic behavior.

In 2365, Doctor Ira Graves was diagnosed with the final stages of Darnay's disease. (TNG: "The Schizoid Man")

An early draft of the script called the disease "Varnay's disease".

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Darnay%27s_disease

This is mainly a plot device to allow for crazy mad scientist guy to take over Data's body. However some terminal diseases should exist.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 12:53pm

Andromeda Strain, La Linea Verde de Muerte, The Green Line of Death

The andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton

A deadly, green, crystalline, extraterrestrial agent of indeterminate origin. It erodes the vessel walls of thecirculatory system, causing death by either triggering the body's coagulation response (resulting in the entire system clotting in a few seconds), or by cerebral hematomas (accompanied by dementia) if clotting is prevented. It evolves at a rapid rate, is spread by airborne transmission, and is extremely contagious. However, it only functions within a very narrow pH range, and cannot survive in a human body if that human's blood chemistry is too alkaline or too acidic.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 12:54pm

ARIA – Alien Retrograde Infectious Amnesia

ARIA (novel) by Geoff Nelder

A virus inducing infectious retrograde amnesia.The effect of ARIA is apocalyptic in that the infected lose their memory backwards at the rate of a year’s worth per week.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 12:56pm

Bazi Plague

The Gor Series by John Norman

Bazi plague is a deadly, rapidly spreading disease with no known cure. Its symptoms include pustules which appear all over the body, and a yellowing of the whites of the eyes.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 12:57pm

Bazi Plague

The Gor Series by John Norman

Bazi plague is a deadly, rapidly spreading disease with no known cure. Its symptoms include pustules which appear all over the body, and a yellowing of the whites of the eyes.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 1:05pm

Clone-Killing Nanovirus

Star Wars Republic Commando: Hard Contact by Karen Traviss

A nanovirus developed by the Confederacy of Independent Systems designed specifically to kill the clones of Jango Fett. Its creator, Ovolot Qail Uthan, is captured by Republic Commandos before her research is complete, however. In later books in the series, it is revealed (though not to any of the main characters, but to the reader through both Palpatine's and Dr. Uthan's private journals), Chancellor Palpatine secretly chooses not to completely destroy all evidence or research of the virus, but rather opts to hold onto it as a back-up plan, should the clone army ever be turned against him.

Interesting idea, perhaps a society who had lots of clones would have such nanoviruses? What if such a virus mutated and killed a whole civilzation, it could pose a threat if awakened by explorers or at least a mystery solver as to what destroyed a culture... just a few thoughts.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 1:09pm

Codon Zero	Codon Zero by Jim Hendee	Codon Zero is the name of the nucleotide sequence that encodes a plague that infects only Arabs and Jews which share a common genetic ancestry that began millennia ago. A secretive group of geneticists has developed this deadly disease (dubbed the Middle East Plague by The New York Times) to force the leaders of the Middle East into a binding peace. The geneticists claim that the afflicted will develop symptoms of dehydration, thirst, headache, dizziness and a decrease in appetite, and although they will feel deathly ill indefinitely, it should not prove fatal.

Another interesting idea, this is a race specific disease... which based on current microbiology research is not as far fetched as it sounds as it sounds. So a race of people could target genetic populations within it's population to make ill on purpose for various reasons. Scarry.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 1:10pm

Collins' Syndrome	The Legend of Deathwalker byDavid Gemmell	A mutating disease that often starts with pain and sensitivity in the victims nipples, then forms a temporary tumor in the brain as it feeds upon the genetic material of the brain cells, sapping away the victims critical thinking skills and intelligence, once it reaches its critical density, the tumor disbands into the bloodstream, the virus going into a form of hibernation, leaving its victim in a state of near absolute uselessness. Once the virus detects that it has entered a new host due to differences in protein markers of the victims cells, the process begins again.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 1:15pm

Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome	Star Trek: The next Generation	A viral infection that causes an infected person to "de-evolve". Caused by a synthetic T-cell which mistakenly activated entrons in one's system. Named for Lt. Reginald Barclay who first contracted the disease when he was administered the synthetic T-cell due to a genetic condition which left own inactive. Said synthetic T-cell caused all dormant entrons to activate rather than the defective T-cell.

This one could work, renamed of course: Devolution Virus:

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 1:18pm

Okay this one is pretty ST specific, but maybe it could be renamed Psychic Dementia in SF and could be a disease that the Psionically inclined run a risk of developing in old age.

Bendii Syndrome	Star Trek: The Next Generation	A degenerative neurological illness that occasionally afflicts some elderly Vulcans. Symptoms include a gradual loss of emotional control and a telepathic influence on non-Vulcans to exhibit similar emotional volatility. Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan is diagnosed with this illness, so he preserves his memories through a mind-meld with Captain Picard. Sarek later dies from this illness while Picard is deep in Romulan space in search of his friend's son, Spock. Days after breaking the news to Spock of Sarek's passing, Spock and Picard meld so they can share Sarek's memories.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 1:22pm

Okay this could be a devastating disease for any world, would send it backwards in TSL and collapse society to primitive conditions. Has plot possibilities.

Big Death	Jeremiah	A supervirus which affects everyone on Earth over the age of puberty. It spreads quickly and is almost 100% fatal, although there are apparently some carriers who do not develop the disease. After the disease has run its course it disappears, allowing those then reaching puberty to survive, although there is a constant threat of it returning.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 1:37pm

Bliss Virus	Doctor Who:Gridlock	Appeared around five billion years into the future on New Earth. It began when New Earthlings developed a new mood-drug called Bliss. The world became addicted to it and, in Novice Hame's words, "A virus mutated inside the compound and became airborne. Everything died. Even the virus in the end. It killed the world in seven minutes flat."

Who doesn't like this idea: a drug delivery system that uses patches with genetically engineered viruses that replicate the drug into the blood stream probably set to replicate and die off to prevent over dose probably linked to the species immune system, these mood patches where a big hit on the planet for recreation and more in the TV series... so the virus delivery system was tested so this was that 1 in a million thing or perhaps a patch developed by an underground drug dealer that did not do it right or maybe someone tried making a cheap knock off to make a side buck? But for cool new tech with potential concerns latter this is a good idea.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

Tchklinxa

November 24, 2015 - 1:48pm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_diseases

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

jedion357

November 25, 2015 - 2:47am

There was a short story in an old Asimov magazine about a white supremicist group developing a virus that killed/afflicted people with brown skin. The new ScyFi channel show Killjoys has a plot line involving weapons that only take out specific genetic lines. Useful in changing the political structure in a calcified setting of oligarchical families.

I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

Tchklinxa

November 25, 2015 - 10:33am

Designing a microbe to attack a specific person as an assassination technique seems probable. I think there was a STNG episode on that as well along the same lines as you listed... at any rate such a microbe would be a scary thing in a RPG setting.

In addition retroviruses could be used as medical therapy as they change the DNA of the individual.

"Never fire a laser at a mirror."

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