Void Delirium

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//--- Saved ID: Tyrone K ---//

Good job we’ve got voice recordings, eh? Otherwise I’d be asking someone to type this out for me. Ya know, outside of the delirium, a moment of clarity. I just- I know what’s happening, ya know. There’s no coming back from this. Started scratching, what, a week ago? Now I can’t feel my arms. My feet are starting to go too. Fucking useless things.

Won’t be long before I’m just one of those empty, delirious bodies, mindlessly hobbling through the halls, more blood than skin. If they don’t chain me to a bed, that is. Or just fucking put me out of my misery (I don’t think they’d ever be so merciful).

God, what was I trying to say? Wait, it’ll come to me… what was it…

Void delirium is a parasitic infection contractible only by Terrans. Though rare, the infection has disastrous effects on the body. No one is sure why the parasite - Vitraxi Evernum - only infects Terrans; research into the exact biological factors is ongoing, as is research into the environmental factors, but has been slow going since the other space faring species have no real incentive to pour money and resources into their own research on it.

Because of the rarity of infection, some are flippant about the condition. They take an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach. Others are terrified - the idea of slowly losing yourself to the infection, compelled to scratch your limbs red and raw until blood pools to the surface, unable to do anything else, is a justifiably terrifying concept to Terrans who have heard endless amounts of horror stories.

Terra Novus

Research - Parasites

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Earth Date [4426]
Universal Galactic Date [6965]

Digital Signature [PROFESSOR LEONA BRIGHT]
Digital ID [TERN-RaD PRO-LBHT-11961]

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Current research into Vitraxi Delirium, more commonly known as ‘Void Delirium’.

Stage 1: Initial Infection

Contact with V.Evernum under warm conditions (15-20 degrees celsius) via an open wound where V.Evernum results in infection. V.Evernum burrows in between muscle fibres and lies dormant for 2-3 weeks before reactivating. During this stage, V.Evernum parasites in the body can be treated with a strict medicinal regimen.

Stage 2: Rash-like Symptoms

When V.Evernum reactivates, it moves away from the muscle fibres and attaches itself to the nerves in the upper extremities. Unclear as to why V.Evernum favours the upper extremities - further testing required.

Within 7 days of attaching to the nerves, V.Evernum starts to ‘sever’ them. This results in the infected individual scratching at the skin above the primary attachment location.

After a period of 2-3 months, the rash-like symptoms worsen. Infected individuals are compelled to begin scratching their wrists and arms as time passes. V.Evernum parasite grows outwards, attaching itself to more and more nerves. Typically, V.Evernum will have infected an entire arm within 10 weeks.

There is no treatment for an infected individual once V.Evernum has been reactivated.

Stage 3: Onset of Numbness and Intensified Scratching

After 3 months, the infected individual will begin to notice a loss of feeling, starting at the primary attachment location of V.Evernum and radiating outwards. At this point, V.Evernum has finally ‘severed’ parts of the nerves that the parasite has attached to.

With the loss of feeling, the scratching becomes more intense. As if the infected individual is desperate to feel something. They often scratch themselves to the point that blood is constantly being drawn and are incapable of stopping themselves from scratching the area altogether.

Stage 4: Further Infection

Around the 5 month mark, V.Evernum will spread to the lower extremities. The parasite’s process of ‘severing’ nerves quickens and before long an infected individual will begin scratching their entire body. This stage sees a lot of infected individuals scratching themselves to the point that skin grafts - whilst not impossible - are ineffective. By the time one has been applied, the infected individual will have already removed any prior grafts through constant scratching.

During stage 4 the infected individual is unlikely to be responsive - no talking, no movement (with the exception of scratching) - feeding must be done via a tube.

As far as our research goes, there is no reason that the infected individual should still be alive at this point. Theory: perhaps V.Evernum is capable of keeping them alive? Requires more testing.

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[FILE UNDER Parasites]

Scientific Name

Vitraxi Delirium

Common Name(s)

Void Delirium

Type

Parasitic

Origin

Alien

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Extremely Rare

Affected Species

• Terran

Is there a cure?

Up until a certain point, yes, Void Delirium is curable.

If you are lucky enough to catch the infection during stage 1, then you can be prescribed a very strict regimen of Alpha Veriti medication. This is specifically designed to kill V.Evernum without damaging the surrounding muscle fibre.

Unfortunately, the nature of infection means that symptoms do not present until stage 2, by which point it is already too late. For that reason, individuals who work in high risk infection areas are required to take a screening test every day.