Swamp Feet Disease

Potentially Deadly

Swamp Feet Disease is a fungal infection which usually affects the feet. The condition is most common in areas with swampland and usually affect those who work in the swamps or traverse through them often.

Avoid the water if you can dear!
If you can't, then remember to take off your shoes at least, yes?

— A mother to her daughter

More than nine out of ten cases happen in Olinthis and affect Humans. However, Fae are also able to catch the disease.

Cause

The disease is usually caught in one of two ways. Either you've got it straight from the source or you've been near someone who has it.

From the Source

The most common way to get the disease is to wander through the dirty swamp water in improper footwear. If your skin is in contact with water at any point, you risk getting swamp feet disease. The longer you are in contact with the water, the higher the chance of infection.
Most believe that being barefoot is what makes you most susceptible to sickness, but that is untrue. The fungus thrives in moist and warm areas. As such, anyone who has gone into the water with socks and shoes on without removing them immediately after has built a perfect breeding ground for the fungi.

From someone infected

Another common way of getting the disease is by being in close proximity to someone already infected. Not many touch another's feet, but many touch items and surfaces which the feet have also been in contact with. Most of these cases see the individual getting swamp feet disease on their hands.

Symptoms and Prognosis

The symptoms of the disease can be hard to notice at first. It is not uncommon for people to have ill-looking feet, with harsh, yellow skin from badly fitting boots. This means that many don't realise they've gotten the disease for a good while, which often makes it more likely to become deadly.

Symptoms

Common symptoms include:

• Red irritation
• Dry and scaly skin
• Chronically smelly feet

More severe Symptoms

• White splotches
• Smell of rot
• Growth of small mushrooms
• Toes turning purple

Prognosis

Some cases of swamp feet disease are gone as quick as they came. If a person remembers to wash their feet and otherwise keep them dry and even out in the cold, this might prevent the spread of the fungi.
However, most cases are quite severe and can be deadly. If a large number of spores manage to get into the bloodstream, the victim has no way of recovering and they will eventually die.

Treatment

Recently, a cure has been developed, though it isn't always a guaranteed success. However, before that, other measures were taken to ensure that the infected would survive.

Off with the leg!

The most common way of treating people infected by swamp feet disease was to amputate the affected foot or hand. This method is mostly used if the infection has become so severe that the person risk dying. To stop the inevitable spread into the bloodstream, the person will get their foot amputated around 10 centimetres above the affected area.
This way of curing the disease is quite successful. This is because doctors in Dysvoll are aware that the tools used must be sterilized to prevent cross-contamination between patients.

Anti-Fungal Ointment

Though the leg-chopping is effective, another tool is also available for use to cure the illness. It is an ointment made from different medicinal herbs which are able to permeate the cells of the fungi and thus kill them and stop the spread of the disease.
However, this treatment is only effective if the infection is treated in the early stages.

Type

Fungal

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Uncommon

Affected Species

• Human
• Fae