Pandoravirus

[Cybermancer]

A French team of scientists have gone public with a discovery of a new virus they have dubbed the pandoravirus. With over 2,000 genes, it is the largest virus found (and published) to date. This is compared to humans who have 21,000-25,000 genes (canines have approximately 19,000). This virus is large enough to be mistaken for a cell and may be an evolutionary link between viruses and cells.

About ten years ago I discovered a similarly large viral sample though it was most definitely not the pandoravirus. This particular virus was part of the lycanthropy infection of an individual we came across. I say part because it was not just a simple virus. First of all it was how the virus interacted with the host. It invaded the hosts cells like a normal virus does but did not destroy the cells like a virus typically does. Instead it interacted with existing DNA from the host.

Furthermore, the virus had a supernatural component to it. This was the hard part (for me) to deal with. Fortunately I was part of a team dealing with the situation and what I overlooked, they could see. We had to create a solution that would deal with the viral, genetic and supernatural aspects and all at the same time. In effect we were dealing with a virus that spliced itself with host DNA while also have all the elements of a curse at the same time.

We did find a cure but due to the nature of the cure it will only work on a case by case basis and with no guarantee of success. Time may also be a factor.

This particular strain of the virus/curse was not universally contagious. Or rather it potentially was but would only interact with specific genes and in specific combinations. Only approximately 2% of the human population would be at risk from it.

To put it another way, that's potentially 160 million people cursed with lycanthropy.

We destroyed all traces of the virus once the cure was administered. The contagion vector was also destroyed. Still, I keep my eyes open for signs that it might rear it's ugly head again.

Unfortunately this was too isolated an incident to postulate any definite theories on the subject. I have some other data acquired by a colleague that collates both what I learned in that case as well as some of my thoughts on the subject. Still, I haven't been able to confirm that data and I'm not currently seeking to do so.

Back on the subject of pandoravirus and the similar class of viruses, I suspect that they may explain other cases of supernatural infection we've seen or read about. Possibly including vampirism though I haven't had enough living subjects willing to be examined to be sure. I think that this class of virus may be necessary to supernatural infections because of it's increased ability to hold data.

You see from what I've been able to glean about magic is that it's a manipulation of energy. But it is also an manipulation of data, mostly likely at the quantum level. Genes and DNA hold and yes, manipulate data. A spell does likewise. I don't yet know how this may be or how they interact exactly yet. I suspect it is possible that these super viruses mostly create a path for supernatural energy into our genetic structures and to process that energy in a specific (and probably unwelcome) way.

Of course viruses of this size are scary enough on their own. Especially once we start talking about ways of using such viruses to co-opt human DNA. With that much genetic information to work with, one could easily create some scary and apocalyptic types of viruses. Really, you could probably tailor make a zombie creating pathogen hidden as another more common illness.

I've begun working on simulations on how this could be accomplished as a step to anticipate and perhaps develop vaccines ahead of time. But due to widespread and systematic discrediting of any scientist that comes out as believing in the supernatural, I must do this work with extremely limited manpower and resources. Worse, I must attempt to anticipate every possible method while someone wishing to introduce such a virus only needs to find one.

There are times I feel as though I'm racing against a clock without getting to see the countdown.

[Last Moon]

It is moments like this that I most bitterly regret the loss of my accumulated research data. My former benefactor and I had been working on modeling the spread of possible cases of Lycanthropy using coding originally developed for the CDC.

The results were still being refined, but the initial findings did show that a viral model could be used and that it was possible for a sufficient number of carriers to create a pandemic situation in which the significant numerical edge humanity enjoys over the creatures could be negated in only a few years once critical mass was reached.

More disturbing was evidence that certain East Asian enterprises that my benefactor believed to be associated with therianthropes were funding epidemiologists investigating the migration of viruses across species.

[Cybermancer]

Something I will have to look into.

[Ron Caliburn]

Yeah, that sounds doomsday-esque.

[freerunner92]

Seriously, three people I hate agreeing with agreeing on the same thing and I can't find a way to disagree.

Damn.

[Cybermancer]

Some concerns transcend the concerns of interpersonal relationships.