Rat Plague
The rat plague is a persistent, virulent disease named after its primary host, the plague rat. It is unknown where it originates from, though some scholars speculate that it might have come about due to the unique biology of plague rats. Because they can live symbiotically with nay number of diseases, some posits that the rat plague originated with them, brewing inside of them from the mingling of diseases.
Transmission & Vectors
Rat plague spreads through body fluids. Spit, blood and so on can all serve as vectors. Other sources of liquid, like the water supply, can also serve as a vector, though the bacteria can only exist in the short term outside an actual body.
Causes
Any sort of interaction can spread this disease from person to person. A sweaty handshake, a passionate kiss, even just spittle from an enthusiastic declaration. If the infected fluid gets into any opening, the disease can take root.
Symptoms
The disease causes rupturing of cells, resulting in internal bleeding. Victims develop numerous bruises across their skin and in advanced cases, bloody coughing and frequent nosebleed. Sufferers often develop muscle problems and may need assistance performing everyday tasks.
Treatment
Healing magic is most effective at taking down the disease if it is caught early enough. However, once the disease is reaching epidemic levels, it will usually outpace the capacity for a healer. It those cases, isolation and the application of medicinal tinctures and so on is necessary, with healers prioritizing healing the most vulnerable. At the same type, the source of the infection must be dealt with, which is often nests of plague rats.
Prognosis
Most people will recover, though it can leave them with permanent damage, such as weakened organs, muscles and similar. Young, old and those of weak health do risk dying from the disease.
Hosts & Carriers
The most common carriers are plague rats, who are asymptomatic hosts to the disease.
Prevention
The extermination of plague rats is considered the best preventive method.
Epidemiology
Dense communities suffer the most when the rat plague takes hold. It can quickly spread from person to person with even the most common of social interaction. By the time the first infected shows obvious signs, it can have spread far and wide. As the disease requires liquid as a vector, it does however seem to have more trouble to get around in warmer and dryer environments. Communities in these areas have a notably easier time stopping infections, as the diseases have fewer places it can linger.
Cultural Reception
Most cultures regard the rat plague with a mixture of dread and annoyance. Its common enough to seem impossible to ever truly get rid of without divine intervention, yet is dangerous enough that it cannot be ignored. These traits have led to a number of sayings inspired by the disease.
"As charming as the rat plague." The speaker finds the subject annoying, problematic and also has no idea how to fix it.
"As much chance as curing the rat plague." The odds don't look good in the speaker's view.
"They cured the rat plague with that trick." Whomever they are, they performed a miracle.
"Promises to cure the rat plague." Someone who is doing this is making big, unrealistic promises.
"As persistent as the rat plague." The speaker is not fond of whomever they're talking about, but do admit they're hard to get rid of.
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