User blog:Bane7670/Confederate Bioweapons Project S26O

Confederate Bioweapons Project S28O, known as the Ceyords Brain Infection (CBI) by the natives of Lanos, was a parasitic fungal virus developed by the Confederate Biological Weapons Labs from elements of the Sickness, originally created by Sith Lord Darth Drear. The project, codenamed Infraworld, began as a concept of Lok Durd's which detailed a way to attack Clone Troopers and other organic enemies from the inside while not affecting inorganic troops. The disease would introduce a chemical that would attach itself to the host's skull and spread across their brain, cancelling out their faculties and eventually causing death.

Sith Lord Darth Sidious founded advanced development of the disease in 22 BBY for use on any rebellion against his planned New Order, selecting Ceyords fungus―a parasitic plant growth native to Lanos―as the base antigen. Labs were constructed on Lanos shortly following its pledge of undying allegiance to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Unfortunately, several months into development, the mutated fungal growths developed gas-producing spores that escaped containment and spread to the populous, leading to a full-scale outbreak.

Overview
The Ceyords Brain Infection was created from the fungus of the same name and was intended to form growths on the host body's skull that deteriorated the brain, causing eventual death. Project Infraworld was targeted at Clone Troopers and any other organic enemy troops so that they could be overwhelmed without even directly engaging in combat. Over the course of development, however, the Ceyords fungus evolved new capabilities, most notably the elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and fungal growth within the limbic regions of the brain, causing a significant increase in aggression. Rather than killing the host, the virus caused brain death and took control of their body, transforming them into a mindless cannibal.

The parasite, despite its innovation in evolution, was non-sentient and only spread to new hosts out of instinct, unlike "the Sickness". Also unlike its ancient counterpart, the infection could not reanimate deceased tissue, requiring a living host to take control. Until Separatist development began, the fungus was only capable of infecting very small life forms, mainly insects.

Transmission
The Ceyords Infection had two primary ways of spreading to other hosts, which were: The parasite was capable of infecting most any humanoid species, including but not limited to: Humans, Twi'leks, Zabraks, Rodians, Arkanians, Trandoshans, and Wookiees. Though it did not seem to have any effect on animals or plant life. Once an infected being died, the fungus would continue to grow over its body and eventually release more airborne spores.
 * Internal contact with the blood/bodily fluid of an infected being, most commonly by way of bite wound
 * Inhalation of gas emitted from spores, the airborne form of the pathogen

Incubation
After initial infection of either type, the parasite traveled upstream to the host's brain and began weather away at their neural tissue and skull. It would generally take within twenty-four standard hours for the infection to take complete control of the brain, at which time the host lost all bodily functions and became brain dead, only displaying erratic and violent behavior.

Symptoms
An infected being showed several signs of carrying the disease during incubation, primarily:
 * Fever
 * Dizziness
 * Fierce coughing fits
 * Gradually weakening physical capabilities
 * Aggression
 * Coma and subsequent violent behavior

Treatment
No treatment or vaccine was ever found for the Ceyords Brain Infection.

Diagnosis
A being carrying the parasite could be identified as infected during incubation by either a brain scan or blood test. But in some very rare cases, Ceyords chemicals in the blood and/or fungal growth on the brain would have no noticeable effect on the being.