Myxobolus Haemosteomyelitisnarcosa

Myxobolus Haemosteomyelitisnarcosa, also known simply as "M.H.", is a mutated strain of the parasite Myxobolus Cerebralis. A Myxosporean parasite, its nomenclature roughly translates into "blood/bone-inflammatory-stupor parasite". The parasite is known for its effect of causing infected humans to develop extremely violent uncontrollable behavior and a hunger for human or animal flesh. The Myxobolus Cerebralis parasite is found among salmonids (salmon and trout fish). This parasite causes damage to the nervous system and skeletal deformation as well as various other abnormal changes among fish. The cause of the mutation of Myxobolus Cerebralis which enabled it to target a mammalian species remains idiopathic to researchers.

Overview
The M.H. parasite affects the central and peripheral nervous systems of the infected. Infection sometimes exhibits an incubation period anywhere from two to six hours. Survivors of a small Malaysian outbreak of M.H. in 2003 have described the infected as exhibiting symptoms of rabies, dementia, and malaria. Details of the stages of M.H. infection have been documented from various survivors around the world and throughout history.

Below is an interpretation of the compilation of findings about the stages of this disease. The entire process does not frequently exceed one hour in recorded cases and experiments, the process is accelerated among children and the elderly due to their generally weakened immune systems.

Stage 1
A human has recently drunk water from a stagnant source containing the parasite or has received the parasite from the bodily fluids (saliva, blood, mucus) of an already infected victim.

Within 5 minutes the recipient of the parasite will experience most or all of the following symptoms:

-Deep anxiety

-Irritability

-Violent behavior

-Highly dilated pupils

-High fever (102-105 deg. F, 39-41 deg. C)

-Blurred vision

-Muscle spasms and twitches

-Drooling

-Vomiting and nausea

-Strong headache and muscle aches

Stage 2
15-30 minutes past infection time...

-Dementia

-Blindness or heavily darkened vision

-Tachycardia (rapid pulse)

-Strong drooling and foaming at the mouth

-Convulsions

-Hallucinations (auditory and visual)

Stage 3
30-40 minutes past infection time...

-Complete loss of verbal functions

-Complete loss of hearing and vision

-Extreme and disturbing bodily convulsions

-Jaundice of the skin

-Eyes covered with milky-white clouds and strongly bloodshot

-Victim collapse, short-term coma begins

Stage 4
40-60 minutes past infection time...

-Physical mutations occur during coma

-Rapid skeletal and muscular growth

-Body convulsions, closely followed by awakening

-Moans and grunting, nonsensical use of vocal chords

-Victim begins to express aggressive cannibalistic tendencies

-Victim surges with energy and exploits heightened sense of smell to hunt for sustenance

The parasite living in the infected human will use the body's flesh for sustenance in order to maintain itself.

Neurological mutations
The human brain is the seat of the human mind - the set of cognitive processes related to perception, interpretation, imagination and memories, of which a person may or may not be aware. Beyond cognitive functions, the brain regulates autonomic processes related to essential body functions such as respiration and heartbeat. Today, we know that Myxobolus Haemosteomyelitisnarcosa affects several locations in the human brain. The disease blocks and mutates functions of the mind, and sustains the body in order to sustain itself.

All infected M.H. hosts suffer from increased aggressiveness. Higher brain functions are destroyed as M.H. dissolves most of the frontal lobes, leaving the animalistic cerebrum to govern behavior. M.H. damages the hypothalamus and the resulting flood of neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones such as norepinephrine and dopamine, combined with the painful symptoms of the infection, induces a psychotic rage and hunger in the victims of the parasite.

Due to the dangerous and controversial nature of M.H. research, much is still unknown regarding this parasite's effects on the human body.

Overall effect
Humans that have been fully infected by M.H. have shown varying levels of intelligence. There is still much to be uncovered when researching this disease, but many facets of M.H infectee intelligence have been recorded. The average M.H infectee possesses no sense of right, wrong, or consequence. M.H infectees satisfy primal urges such as hunting, surviving, and destroying. Infected humans do not require sleep, can survive off of very little food, and do not feel substantial amounts of pain. They will avoid unnecessary dangers, they won't walk straight into a fire or shamble off of a cliff. However, if a M.H infectee is motivated by a promise of food, then they will go to any length to get it, endangering their own lives to satisfy their hunger. They have been seen using simple tools such as rocks and sticks to break through windows and barricades. They can use most types of door handles and slide open unlocked windows to enter a home. M.H infectees are capable of scaling many types of walls and fences, razor and barbed wire will only slow them down.

Due to the effects of M.H. on the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system, M.H infectees suffer from a neurodegenerative disease similar to Alzheimer's disease. After the parasite has taken root in the body of infected humans, they will have no memories of their past lives, and are lost and confused creatures with instincts that command them to kill, maim, and feast on human flesh.

Physical mutations
Myxobolus Haemosteomyelitisnarcosa shares many physically mutative traits with Myxobolus Cerebralis. M.H. commands certain muscle groups to grow and strengthen. Some of the affected muscles control mastication (chewing) and movement. Other affected regions include the suprahyoids, the lateral cervical muscles, muscles of the thorax and abdomen, and the muscles of the upper limbs. The human skeleton is also mutated, some parts disfigured, others enhanced for function. The bones of the jaw, hands, vertebrae, and thigh all increase in size and density. Fresh M.H infectees tend to be incredibly strong due to these rapid muscular and musculoskeletal mutations. Although, vast quantities of energy, protein, and food stores are spent by the parasite while mutating the body. This consumption of food reserve in a fresh M.H infectee is theorized to further enhance the extreme violence and hunger immediately following a transformation. M.H infectees will move with a slow, sluggish gait most of the time. If pursuing a potential meal, M.H infectees are capable of running for very long distances at high speeds.

M.H. possesses a mysterious ability that still puzzles scientists. The parasite emits a type of a sulfur-containing organic compound called a thiol which has a repellent effect on the olfactory systems of other M.H infectees. This causes M.H infectees to ignore each other as a food source. In addition to protecting M.H infectees from each other, the thiol emissions give M.H infectees a distinct repugnant odor which can induce gagging and even vomiting in un-infected humans nearby.

While some M.H infectee senses are heightened some are reduced in capacity. Within days they suffer from severe myopia due to degradation to corneas. In addition, they are colorblind. Their hearing also becomes quickly impaired, after only a few weeks is completely gone due to what can only be described as rotting of the inner ear. However, their sense of smell is raised several fold. M.H infectees sense of touch is dulled completely.