fatal

Influenza
This is an acute, infectious, and contagious
disease of the respiratory tract, especially the trachea.
Colloquially, it is called the flu. The symptoms
of a simple attack include dry cough, sore
throat, nasal obstruction and discharge, and burning
of the eyes; more complex cases are characterized
by chill, sudden onset of fever, headache, aching
of muscles and joints, and occasional gastrointestinal
symptoms. In uncomplicated cases (90% of
them), symptoms fade and temperature drops to
normal in 1d4 days.
Leprosy
This is a chronic, infectious disease that primarily
affects the skin, mucous membranes, and
nerves. Many consider leprosy to be a punishment
from the gods for sin; hence, the leper is in a state
of defilement. About 5% of the population is susceptible
to leprosy. The earliest symptom is often a
loss of sensation in a patch of skin. Large areas of
skin may become infiltrated. The mucous membranes
of the nose, mouth, and throat may be invaded
by large numbers of the organism. Because
of damage to the nerves, muscles may become paralyzed.
The loss of sensation that accompanies the
destruction of nerves may result in unnoticed injuries.
These may result in secondary infections, the
replacement of healthy tissue with scar tissue, and
the destruction or absorption of bone. The classic
disfigurements of leprosy, such as loss of extremities
from bone damage or the so-called leonine faces,
a lionlike appearance with thick nodulous skin, are
signs of advanced disease. Leprosy is perhaps the
least infectious of all the contagious diseases. Often,
lepers are isolated in leper houses, forbidden to
marry, and forced to wear a distinctive cloak or shake
a rattle to announce their presence. There are several
leper colonies per town. The disease is believed
to be transmitted not only by touch but by breath.
With all the care taken to isolate lepers, from time
to time rumors lead to panic and lynching.
Measles
This disease is acute, highly contagious, and
produces a fever. It is characterized by small red
dots appearing on the surface of the skin, irritation
of the eyes (especially on exposure to light), coughing,
and a runny nose. About 12 days after first
exposure, the fever, sneezing, and runny nose appear.
Coughing and swelling of the neck glands often
follow. 4 days later, red spots appear on the face or
neck and then on the trunk and limbs. In 2 or 3
days, the rash subsides and the fever falls. Some
peeling of the involved skin areas may take place.
Infection of the middle ear may also occur. This is
one of the most common childhood diseases. It is
rarely fatal (5%), but should the virus spread to the
brain, it can cause (1-50%) death or (51-100%) brain
damage (suffer - 1d100 Intelligence and Wisdom).
The disease usually confers immunity after 1 attack.
If a pregnant woman becomes infected, then her
fetus will become infected as well.
Mumps (Epidemic Partotitis)
An acute infectious viral disease, the mumps
is characterized by the swelling of the salivary glands.
Though it may attack characters of any age, it most
frequently affects children between the human ages
of 5 and 9. This disease rarely involves the sex glands.
It is highly contagious and is spread by droplets
sprayed from the respiratory tract of infected characters.
The incubation period varies from 15-21 days.
Few fatalities result from mumps (5%), and 1 attack
usually confers complete immunity, because only 1
antigenic type of virus causes this disease. In children,
the first symptoms are usually a mild fever, a
feeling of illness and chilliness, loss of appetite, and
dryness of the throat. This is followed by soreness
and swelling around the ears, and a higher fever.
These symptoms are usually gone by 12 days. In
adult males, inflammation of the testes occurs in up
to 20% of the cases, but resultant sterility is rare
(5% of those inflamed). In children, infection of
the auditory nerve can cause deafness, but this is
also a rare result (5%).
Chapter 2: Body
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