The Withering Disease {Chronic} Condition in Ad-Atla | World Anvil
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The Withering Disease {Chronic}

The Withering disease is a byproduct of Wither roses. Wither roses are plants that had been corrupted by the presence of a Wither, a highly dangerous, toxic, and deadly creature that is thought to be of magical nature. You acquire the disease when you come into contact with either the Wither itself, one of the roses it leaves behind, or drink water that has been contaminated by either.
There are two types of this disease, air-based and water-based.
The air-based disease has a higher infection rate but is easier to get rid of if treated, with little to no long-term affects.
The water-based disease is far harder to get rid of but is less deadly in the short term. If the infected is not treated quickly enough then people can be left affected for their entire lives. One such person was Queen Bailiy Harja CombedCloud. Her local water had been infected by a local Wither fight, and the contamination had not been caught fast enough. She was left weakened and ill for the rest of her life, by our terms Immuno-compromised. This article deals with the water-based, chronic version of the disease.

Transmission & Vectors

The Withering disease is a byproduct of Wither roses. Wither roses are plants that had been corrupted by the presence of a Wither, a highly dangerous, toxic, and deadly creature that is thought to be of magical nature. You acquire the disease when you come into contact with either the Wither itself, one of the roses it leaves behind, or drink water that has been contaimanated by either. The contaiminated water is the hardest to fix, as it is common for the roots of a Wither rose to grow deep into ground and river water.
Another way to catch the disease is if contaiminated water is used to water crops. These Withered crops are then fed to people, who catch the disease from their food.

Symptoms

Symptoms include:
  • Muscle atrophy
  • Pain in arms and legs
  • Trouble communicating
  • Heart palpatations
  • Sweatiness
  • Weakness
  • Necrosis
  • Blindess
  • Deafness
  • Death

Treatment

Treatments are few and far between but include:
  • Regeneration potions
  • Health potions
  • Milk

Prognosis

If the disease is caught early, then the prognosis is good. Early intervention is key to a continued, healthy life. However, if not caught early enough, the disease can linger for years, slowly destroying the body before the body dies, or is finally treated. If treated late then the prognosis is not good. The subject can experience chronic long-term pain in affected limbs, poor sight leading to blindess, eventual loss of limbs, and then early death.

Sequela

If caught early, then the chronic symptoms are reduced in severity. General weakness, muscle weakness, and an increased risks of heart attacks. But from here on out, the patient is free to live their life, as long as they don't catch the disease again.
If caught late, then chances do not look good. If caught late then the continuing symptoms include, chronic long-term pain in affected limbs, poor sight leading to blindess, eventual loss of limbs, and early death.

Prevention

As much as scientists have tried, there is no workable vaccine for this disease. The only way to prevent infections is to monitor and purify water, and cracking down on illegal Wither summonings and Wither rose gardens.

Epidemiology

The disease is spread through contaminated water, usually groundwater or river water. The Withered water is carried to communities that rely on the rivers or wells for drinking water or to water crops. When

History

The Withering Disease has been a plague on the world for thousands of years, always coming back becuase of foolhardy survivalists, cultists, or dangerous Wither rose gardens.
Type
Viral
Origin
Magical
Cycle
Chronic, Acquired
Rarity
Uncommon
Affected Species

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