Nero Variant

Toxoplasmosis is an illness caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. The condition is usually asymptomatic in healthy people because their immune systems efficiently suppress its effects. Complications are possible, but they're rarely fatal. In early 2044, the public was made aware of a mutation in the parasite that radically altered its lethality. The mutant strain, known as Toxoplasma nero, was connected to environmental factors such as untreated water supplies. Rural communities were the most vulnerable to infection. By 2045, T. nero caused global epidemics, turning a once-manageable illness into an incurable disease.
T. nero's infection cycle followed its predecessor's typical course, but with alarming efficiency. Rats remained common carriers of it, maintaining the parasite in its dormant state until the rats were consumed by cats. Once inside a feline host, T. nero rapidly reproduced in the digestive tract and was spread through the cat's waste. Unlike prior strains, T. nero had greater resilience, allowing it to survive outside of the host's body for longer. Scratches and bites from infected cats became a common source of infection, drastically increasing human exposure.
The parasite thrived in untreated sources of water, and further changes allowed it to infect a wider range of warm-blooded creatures. Farm animals became parasitic reservoirs, quietly infecting their surroundings with their feces. T. nero remained in the soil, infecting nearby cattle and adding another means of transmission: the consumption of tainted meat. With no obvious, outward signs in animal hosts, diagnosis was difficult, allowing the disease to spread unnoticed until humans contracted it. The symptoms of Toxoplasma nero were debilitating and irreversible.
Following a brief incubation period, patients experienced flu-like symptoms that grew worse over the course of a week. What started as fevers, chills, and muscle aches led to migraines, temporary vision loss, severe fatigue, and cognitive impairment. As the disease progressed, it caused neurological symptoms such as persistent psychosis, hallucinations, and seizures. In the later stages, permanent vision and hearing loss developed, followed by a loss of motor function. Victims experienced lasting neurological degeneration, eventually losing their ability to speak. The name "Silent Scourge" refers to this final stage.
Infected individuals would develop dementia, increasing the likelihood of reckless or even aggressive behavior. Any sense of self-preservation vanished, and the patient's behavioral changes were permanent. Survivors of T. nero were rare. The majority of those survivors were unstable, impulsive, and dangerous. Many people lost their sense of identity completely. Because of the irreversible nature of these changes, some speculated that T. nero evolved to influence its host's behavior, encouraging them to engage in harmful acts to further the parasite's spread.
With no viable treatment, the global medical community was at a standstill. Quarantine zones were established but proved ineffective since asymptomatic carriers went unchecked for too long. Livestock herds were killed, and many cities euthanized stray animals out of fear of infection. The prognosis for infected humans was poor and often fatal.

Symptoms

Early Stage

• Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, muscle aches)
• Fatigue
• Headaches

Progressive Symptoms

• Migraines
• Temporary vision loss
• Severe fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Cognitive impairment (confusion, difficulty concentrating)

Advanced Symptoms

• Psychosis
• Hallucinations (auditory and visual)
• Seizures
• Permanent vision loss
• Impaired or total hearing loss
• Loss of motor function

Final Stage

• Inability to speak
• Loss of coordination
• Reckless, self-destructive behavior
• Loss of self-preservation instincts
• Aggression
• Permanent personality changes
• Early-onset dementia

Prevention

Practice food and water safety.

• Avoid drinking unfiltered water, especially in rural areas.
• Boil water from unknown sources before drinking.
• When possible, use water filtration systems to remove any contaminants.
• Cook all meat thoroughly and to proper temperature.
• Avoid consuming raw or undercooked meats.
• Wash produce thoroughly to remove contaminants from the soil.

Good hygiene is a must.

• Wash hands with soap and water after handling soil, meat, or interacting with animals.
• Wear gloves while cleaning up animal waste and wash hands afterwards.
• Disinfect surfaces that may have come into contact with an infected animal.
• Wear protective clothing when working in high-risk environments.
• Limit contact with individuals who are confirmed to be infected.
• Seek medical evaluation if exposed to potential sources of infection.

Adhere to precautionary measures.

• Avoid contact with stray or feral cats, which are high-risk carriers of T. nero.
• Keep pet cats indoors at all times and have them checked regularly by a veterinarian.
• Prevent soil contamination by properly disposing of animal waste.
• Keep livestock areas clean to minimize exposure to wild rodents.
• Implement rodent control measures to reduce the spread of the parasite.
• Implement strict food and water safety regulations to minimize contamination.

Type

Parasitic

Origin

Mutated

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Common