Pathogen Cards

dengue pc

pathogencard2

Ebola Sudan!!!!

Look upon me and see your doom. Beware! I am feared all around the world! Just the mention of my name is enough to send many running in fright! I cause hemorrhagic fever and death in most of those that I infect….but fortunately for you, I am not very common.
Description: I am one of four subtypes of Ebola. Along with our cousin Marburg, we make up the Filovirus family. My three siblings and I are helical, non-segmented, negative, single-stranded RNA Viruses.

Power: I can turn your insides into soup!! I’m baaadddd.

Offenses:
Attacks: I attack all over you! Your organs are no match for me!
Outcome: I am characterized by sudden onset of fever, muscle pain, intense weakness, headache and sore throat. As if this isn’t enough, sometimes I follow up with vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and both internal and external bleeding! Death usually occurs from systemic shock and blood loss. I kill within days!
Speed: I act quite fast. I only need a few days of incubation before I’m ready to take over. You’ll probably be dead in days! After an incubation period of as short as two days (though can be up to 21 days)

Defenses:
Vaccines: There is no vaccine available to protect yourself from me!
Behavioral: I am spread by direct person-to-person contact, especially with blood, secretions, organs and bodily fluids. Avoid contact with infected persons or primates (and other animals) possibly infected! Research and laboratory tests must only be conducted under maximum biological containment conditions.
Treatment: Once infected, there is little that can be done to aid you, I am that tough. Fear me. Supportive care can be useful in severe cases to fight dehydration.

Game Action: You have been infected with Ebola. Roll a dice. 1-2 Yay! You survive! 3-6 Sorry, you have fallen ill and died. You must now leave the game. Thanks for playing.

Ebola…One Scary $@%&#($&!!!!

Hello! My name is Dengue 4! I fly in on cute little Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and pop in to say Hi when they bite you! Isn’t that fun??
Description? Well let me tell you! I’m a member of the Flaviviridae family. I’m a positive single stranded RNA virus, have an awesome envelope and a hot icosahedral figure. Splendid!
Power: I’m super powerful! Every year 100 million people become infected by me or

Dengue 4

one of my 3 sisters! I might be the most common arthropod-borne virus in the world! Grrrr!
Offenses
Attacks: I cause two forms of fever: Dengue Fever and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. Lucky for you, DHF is most often seen in secondary infections of my sister, Dengue 2.
Outcomes: Infection is usually characterized by a sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, body aches, joint pains, and nausea and/or vomiting! Fun! I can cause DHF if you’ve been infected previously by one of my sisters. We’re similar, so your immune system acts as if you’ve been attacked by her, and I’m not hurt! This is part of what we like to call Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of viral infection (ADE)!
Speed: Incubation is approximately 4 days then I hit hard with sudden fever!
Defenses
Vaccines: There is no current Vaccine for me! Keep trying! Teehee!
Behavioral: Well, since I fly in on those cute little mosquitoes I spoke about before, maybe you should start there! Wear full sleeve clothes to prevent mosquito bites! Wear repellent and use mosquito coils and nets! Destroy mosquito breeding sites!
Treatment: There is no specific treatment against me! Paracetemol can be used, but avoid Aspirin and Brufen! Give a lot of fluids to those with possible DHF.

Game Action: Mosquitoes are attacking you! Swat the air as you try to kill as many as possible. Make an annoying buzzing sound to simulate the swarm!

At least I’m not malaria, right?

HPV 6

Hello everyone. I am Human Papillomavirus 6. I, like my hundreds of cousins, am an icosahedral, naked, spherical, double-stranded, DNA virus.
We cause genital warts and cervical cancer. We are the second biggest cause of female

cancer mortality worldwide with approximately 288, 000 deaths every year. About 510,000 cases of cervical cancer are reported each year, and we win the prize for most prevalent viral STI. Not bad for a little virus eh?

Personally, I’m one of the 4 most common HPV types that infect women.

Power: I can stay latent in the body, hiding, waiting to strike another day!

Offenses
Attacks: Very contagious. I’m spread during oral, vaginal, and anal sex. About 2/3 of people who have sexual intercourse with someone I’m hanging out with, will get me too!
Outcome: I’ve been known to cause carcinoma of the vulva, giant condylomata and laryngeal carcinoma, among others.
Speed: Warts tend to show up weeks, or months after infection. Slow and steady.

Defenses
Vaccines: Several groups are conducting HPV vaccine trails, and studies are promising. There may be a vaccine available soon.
Behavioral: Even a condom may not be 100% effective as genital warts occur in the entire genital area, not just on the penis or directly on the vagina. The only full-proof way is by practicing abstinence. Women should get Pap tests regularly to catch and prevent cervical cancer!
Treatment: There is no cure for cervical cancer or HPV, but the warts and other lesions caused by the virus can be treated with salicylic acid, podofilox and podophyllin amongst others. Surgery is also an option.

Uh Oh! You have contracted HPV 6!! You must now move at half speed for the rest of the game!

Asymptomatic or Symptomatic? Either way I’m with you for life!

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