Shaking Plague (Term)

A disease fatal to both simes and Gens and transmitted by lateral contact.
(From: Unto Zeor Forever, Ch 7) 'Shaking plague was one of the rare diseases vectored from Sime to Gen and Gen to Sime only. A Sime could catch it only from a Gen's skin. A Gen could catch it only from a Sime's lateral tentacles. Thus, the Tecton was wide open to epidemics of the killer disease via the hundreds of Gens a channel could infect every day.'
(Source:  Index card file.  Unto Zeor, Forever)   Toxin in blood and spinal fluid attacked the nerves, making them hypersensitive and patient went into convulsions and strangled to death. Gen treatment is to do a tracheotomy.  Channel locks into nageric synch and blocks each convulsive nerve current. Donors can lock into the channel's system and assist in easing these convulsions, and shielding the channels from sensory inputs until the spasm passes..
One of the rare diseases vectored from sime to Gen and Gen to sime only. Sime catches the disease from the Gen's skin.  Gen catches it from the sime's laterals.  Sime Center has shaking plague screening lab --- routinely checks all channels' ronaplin secretions twice a day -- by cultures on a gel in glass covered dishes.
In final stage of disease, any little noise or disturbance can send patients into convulsions --- a Gen in convulsions can put a sime into them. Gen temperature rises to near sime-normal, which makes it more certain to give the disease to simes.  Darkened room to keep the nerves free from outside stimuli.  Illness lasts days past critical stage.  Fourth day with the sickness is critical.  Nerve damage from shaking plague causes a limp like Hayashi's.  Orim and others are dying from it.
Roshi discovers a mutant strain that takes at least ten days to grow out on culture plates rather than 24 hours.  He is planning/considering using it as a weapon against the Tecton --- anyone using channels would get it.  An accident in his lab infected someone -- spread by the Founder's Day Celebration.  More of the Gens than the simes die of this strain.  Very high mortality rate, and gives no immunity.  Bodies cremated against spread of infection.
Category:Terms