Blotfever

Bacteria causing the disease can enter the body and cause infection through open wounds or mucus membranes such as the mouth, nose, eyes, or genitals. Infection of blotfever only occurs when bacteria have entered the skin and taken root there to continue growing as a skin infection. Blotfever cannot be transmitted from person to person.

Blotfever is a skin infection particularly known to infect humanoids without fur or feathers, such as Mages, Arachne, and Mermidae. It is caused by bacteria that inhabit wet, acidic soils, riverbeds, and marshes of North America, particularly around the Gulf of Mexico. The bacteria causing the infection generally are not infectious unless they have reached extremely high numbers and the soil is disturbed, with high populations generally occurring in summer.

High fevers and patches if irritated skin give the disease its name. Areas of infected skin often are itchy, red, and swollen, prompting the host to scratch them to seek relief. While none of these symptoms are particularly dangerous on their own with treatment, the disease does have the potential to allow other diseases to take advantage of a weakened immune system and cause opportunistic infections. In particular, blood infections are a concern when dealing with blotfever, as constant itching and scratching may cause open wounds that leave the victim open to blood or staph infections.

Blotfever's treatment is a simple regiment of antibiotic skin ointments in the vast majority of cases. Infections rarely become serious, though cases where they are life threatening are generally in those with compromised immune systems, the elderly, and very young individuals. More serious infections may require heavier antibiotics and regular treatment regimens.   Serious concern has been raised in recent years due to antibiotic resistant strains of the disease caused by incomplete treatment. Although the disease still is typically not life threatening on its own, resistant strains of the disease have the potential to seriously weaken the immune system for other diseases to take root.