Oizai Wing Rot
Who knew such a small cut could lead to a near death experience? The village clerics managed to rid me of the infection without amputating my wing, but it is now permanently scale less and not functional due to the other structural damage.
Oizai have delicate wings that are susceptible to various infections. This condition is not tied to one specific infectious agent. Wing rot can occur after any injury or illness that allows a microbe, typically a bacteria or fungus, to invade and further damage the wing tissue and scales.
Transmission
Wing rot is typically spread via a microbe entering a cut or other damaged tissue, primarily on the wing. If the Oizai has an infection in a different body part, it can spread to their wings if left untreated as well. The bacteria version is primarily bloodborne. Fungal infections can occur if the wing is coated in a spore burst or if a cut comes in contact with certain soil. Neither spread between individuals unless the infected blood gets into an open wound of another.
Stages and Symptoms
Stage One:
The early days of infection starting from "day zero" after the pathogen enters the wing. If treatment is administered during this incubation period, damage can be reduced and wing function may be saved. It lasts between 5 and 14 days depending on the source. Patients will either be asymptomatic or experience mild pain and a light fever. If it entered through a wound on the wing, redness and scale loss may be present around the site.Stage Two:
This period lasts around another week or two depending on how fast deterioration happens. Treatment at this point can still save the wing in many cases, but function is almost always lost due to the extent of damage. High fever, increased pain, fatigue, and scale shedding are common. The delicate wing tissue begins to break down.Stage Three:
The final stages of wing rot. If medical care is not administered by this point, the infection will rapidly spread to the body and lead to sepsis and death. The time frame varies depending on type and access to treatment. Wing amputation is unavoidable by this point; the tissue is usually too tattered and removal will also help to prevent the spread. Symptoms are similar to stage two, but increased in severity. Complete scale loss, hallucinations, nausea, and loss of consciousness may also occur.Treatment
To prevent wing loss and body wide infection, medical care must be administered as fast as possible. During the early stages, any wounds should be gently cleaned and protected until fully healed. Oizai have a specialized "glue" that is perfect for wing injuries to prevent further damage and scale loss. If caught early enough, additional medication is usually not needed.
More intense treatment is needed in the later stages. After identifying the organism, antibiotics or antifungals are administered. These medications may be given at lower doses in the first stage to help more susceptible or immunocompromised individuals. Intentional de-scaling might occur if flushing and medicine cannot remove bacteria or fungal growth.
Pain medicine and other comfort measures are provided on an individual basis. Doctors do everything they can to save one or both wings, but in most serious cases amputation is a must. Even if it is saved, function is not guaranteed due to scale loss and permanent damage.
Wing Loss and Mental Health
Oizai take pride in their wings. If one experiences permanent damage or even loss, there is a high chance the individual will mourn for a while. Some eventually heal with help from their community and spiritual leaders, others struggle with a chronic depressive state for the rest of their life.
In recent years wing prosthetics were made available. Oizai can customize them to look just like their original patterns or get creative and make them look as plain or eccentric as they like. Opaque and translucent versions are available and different effects like glitter and metal accents can be added. More expensive versions may be enchanted to give some amount of flight back if desired.
Aw, poor Oizai. :( Losing your wings must be awful, kind of like humans losing their legs or arms, I suppose. I'm glad that there are some prosthetics being developed though!