The Immortal Disease

Is this believable?

The L-virus (placeholder name) was a virus created by the Lancer Chemical Corporation (no longer part of my zombie story) as a bio-weapon for use by the military. However, it's effectiveness proved too potent and the project was ended before it could get out of control. Unfortunately, due to the virus's wildly varied incubation period and ability to remain outside of the host's body for extended periods of time (approximately 900 days) it managed to slip past many forms of security.

The virus's incredible contagiousness can be attributed to how easily someone can get infected by it. Only 12 viral particles are needed for a full blown infection to occur. At the peak of the infection period, the virus is multiplying so rapidly that excess viral particles actually shed the host body, causing the air surrounding the host to become contaminated. The time it takes for first signs depends on the hosts immune system though the average is time is around 5 to 10 minutes.

When the incubation period of the virus has ended and starts going active, it starts off by essentially sucking all the life out of the cells so it can multiply and spread to other cells, causing "living rot" to appear at the point of contact, which then spreads to the rest of the body. When the virus gets into the blood stream, it slowly kills the blood cells which will in turn prevent oxygen from reaching the rest of the body which, in the end, kills the host. Certain organic materials, such as the tissues making up the nervous, circulatory, and respiratory system, seem to be somewhat more resilient than the rest of the body. And no, it will not re-animate them!  ^*

Luckily, the LCC was also working on a way to immunize people. The only catch is that the person essentially has to saturate themself with the antidote. And there's only a limited supply of the antidote due to its complex nature whereas virus is so simple it can easily get by most immunizations. In rare circumstances, though, a person can be naturally immune to the disease. Although in this case it just means that their body can slow the infection enough so that their body can rebuild itself.

What makes the L-virus so dangerous is its hardiness. It can survive temperatures high enough to burn through most PPE and temperatures low enough to freeze most plastics. This due to the fact that during its "Dormant" phase during incubation, it is pretty much dead and can only be "awoken" when it comes in contact with organic materials. Meaning that not only are humans effected; plants and animals are effected as well.

Sounds like Anthrax to me; the whole practically-unkillable-when-dormant.

Also, wouldn't it be more infectious if the time it took for symptoms to manifest was longer? That's the way with real diseases, when the infectious period is before symptoms start showing.

edited 8th Dec '10 12:13:26 AM by LoniJay

I probably should extend the time. How does 14 days sound? And the whole "Unkillable while Dormant" thing was actually inspired by Water Bears.

Hmm, I don't know. Perhaps a week? Or a few days?

Dammit, now I really wish I had this thing I remember from SCIE 1000 (a course on the maths of science) lectures; you inputted the infectious period, time to death, etc, into an equation and it would give you a graph of infected vs live vs dead people.

What about vaccines?

edited 8th Dec '10 10:03:41 AM by Yej

...nvm me, I Read That As The My Immortal Disease...

In which Viral Potter Sue goes to Warthogs and infects everyone with lymphomania?