Lunapeste

Lunapeste (moon plague) is presently the only disease known to easily kill werewolves. The disease prevents a werewolf from transforming back into his/her other shape (so that whichever shape they happen to be in when the contagion sets in, they cannot transform back). Most cases of Lunapeste are incredibly isolated, as it tends to wipe out entire packs, effectively killing itself off as well. It is theorized that Lunapeste was biologically engineered. The first cases of Lunapeste cropped up around the 1980's.

Infection and Transmission

Lunapeste is a blood-borne virus and is easily transmitted through bodily fluids, including blood, saliva or semen. Technically the saliva is benign until victims start presenting with blood coughing symptoms. It is important that those attempting to treat a werewolf with lunapeste do not allow any of his/her blood or saliva to get into their mouth, near their nose, eyes or ears or into any open sores.


Symptoms

After a week the werewolf presents with symptoms such as fever, high blood pressure, cough and nausea. After a month the virus enters their respiratory system and they begin to cough blood. By then the fever can often result in hallucinations. Fluid fills the lungs and organ function starts to deteriorate. Cardiac arrest may also result from the heightened blood pressure.


Treatment

No cure has been produced for Lunapeste. Treating the fever and administering light sedatives sometimes helps. (Ski, feel free to rape this or any other section with your massive WebMD knowledge.)


Prognosis

If the patient is in good health with an abnormally adaptive immune system they have a chance of pulling through in a month or two.

That being said, 98% of lunapeste victims die within two weeks of exposure. Death often occurs for a multitude of reasons: cardiac arrest, organ failure, or suffocation via fluid in the lungs are the most common causes.


Long Term Effects

While some patients have a full recovery, most suffer frequent dizzy spells and blood pressure problems for indefinite periods of time, often years after recovery. Some experience memory problems as a result of dangerously high fevers.


Estimated Causes

The origin of lunapeste is unknown, but the consensus is that it is either a biologically engineered virus or spread through animals which serve as carriers but who are not actually affected by the virus itself. Or both.

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