Day 7: The Possibility of Zombies (Virus)

Zombies are terrifying- even with their slow shuffling gait, they still manage to strike fear into the hearts of the general populous. So what happens when we can no longer outrun this inexhaustible threat? Movies like 28 Days Later, Quarantine, & WWZ make a case for "fast zombies" created by a virus.

A Virus is an infectious agent that can survive and replicate only inside the cells of another living organism. Although not technically alive, Virus' target organisms and systems that best serve their survival goals. It even seems that virus' have the will and ability to take over the host organisms functioning (like parasites) in order to perpetuate function.

Case in point, Rabies is a virus which affects the central nervous system (CNS) in mammals. In humans, it causes fever, cough, restlessness, hallucinations, seizures, and death. The popular ideas of Rabies is the "mad dog" Cujo who undergoes a complete personality change to become a wild killing machine.

Now imagine that in humans?

Mad Cow Disease also effects the CNS. In humans, Mad Cow can mutate into Variant Crutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. The disease itself has no treatment and produces "zombie-like" symptoms such as dementia, psychotic behavior, and loss of motor function.

Not so far from feasible, right?


http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virus

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/mad-cow-disease-overview?page=2

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/rabies-topic-overview