Seedpox

The Seedpox is a feared skin disease caused by the parasitic seeds of the Desert Poxbush. The species grows mainly in warm and arid conditions at the Pillar Mountains and the Irin i heš Island. A definite way to tell the disease apart form other skin disease, is the distinctive black spot that developes in the middle of the pustules.
The disease is caused by the parasitic spores of the Desert Poxbush attaching themselves inside the skin of their host. The natural hosts of the Poxbush seeds are large artiodactyls, but the spores will also attach to various small mammals and humans, for whom the condition potentially lethal.
The condition is especially feared by the Caač people, who don't use any clothing that would offer significant protection, but are very suspectible to getting full-body exposure to the spores.

Causes

The Desert Poxbush produces extreamly sweet smelling fruit, that attract large mammals to its vicinity. When the victim touches the plant, it releases a spore cloud. The spores attach to the skin of the animal. The spores develop into seeds inside the outer layers of the skin, before falling with a fertilizing dose of mucus.

Symptoms

The first symptom after exposure to the spore cloud is skin irritation on the affected area. The spores can also cause respitory irritation. At this point it is still possible although difficult to wash the spores away with a strong soap.
After a couple of hours the spores move to the inner layers of skin, which might cause itching but not significant pain because the spores produce numbing substances.
Then the seeds will incubate for about two weeks. In this period, skin infection is common in humans, that have significantly thinner skin than the original artiodactyl host species. The infection will cause fever, and the areas badly affected can develop necrosis.
When the seeds have fully developed, the skin will form pustules resembling those of viral skin infections. The middle of the pustule will have the small black seeds clearly visible. The pustule stage usually means the end of the infections and the patient starts to recover slowly. The pustules however are extremely itchy and painful. In this stage the disease is also contangeos between people!
After about a week the pustules will finally break, and the seeds will fall out with a largy dose of mucus that fertilizes them.

Treatment

If the exposure is diagnosed fast enough, the spores can be washed away. After that the only option is to wait for them to come out naturally. The symptoms of the infection can be treated. For necrosis, amputation is the only choise. A cooling balm can help a patient suffering the pustules.

Prognosis

For four out of five of the patients the condition is painful but not dangerous. 3/20 will develop skin infections of various severity. For 1/20 the infection is life threatening or necrotic. The condition more dangerous with individuals that have a large area of the skin affected.

Prevention

The best prevention is to stay clear of the plants all together. Luckily, the smell of the fruits is a clear sign of danger if one knows to be afraid.
Fully covered skin is well protected against the spores, but the clothing must be burned after the exposure because the spores can stay active for over a day.
To destroy the Poxtrees, the only viable option is to approach them covered, bury them and burn them in a covered hole. On an open fire the spores can survive and spread by the wind.

Type

Parasitic

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term