WORN NOTEBOOK, A PAMPHLET
Where do bites often occur? Where do I need to protect myself?
- • Bite attacks commonly occur around the neck region, shoulder, and forearm. The zombie will lay into these areas first if it can; if it cannot, then other available areas may be opted for: the ankles and calves, the abdomen, bicep and triceps, the chest, latissimus, and deltoid.
• It is optimal to protect all areas, but the common areas should be the priority. Thick clothing, such as sweaters, can function can slow the biting process. Some citizens have created improvised padding made of leather and wool, kevlar, plastic, or small metal plates.
Are all bites the same?
- • Generally it does not seem to matter. Teeth count and bite strength will affect the severity of the wound. Even toothless zombies can apply enough pressure to break the skin and allow the transference of harmful substances. While the act of biting will be painful for the bitten, the real threat is infection and parasitic contamination.
• Infection is simply the by-product of the state of death in zombified humans. It is the umbrella term for a conglomeration of ailments affecting the dead––among the common-most are Corpiumviasis, Ectomid Fever, and Hemogyglobisis. Infection is always fatal, but by itself it will not cause zombification in the deceased.
• Parasitic contamination assumes the presence of Zycropolanama Norcada (ZN), the one and only parasite known to cause zombification in humans. The only requirement for ZN is death. It does not matter what causes it, whether infection, suicide, gunshot, or accident. Once dead, after a period of time (minutes to hours) the recently deceased will be reanimated into what we call zombies. The combination of infection and parasitic contamination, necessarily present in all zombies, is called Infection and Parasite Zombification or IPZ (sometimes IPcZ). The only way to terminate those with IPZ is the destruction of the brain. There is no cure.
• It is important to note that a bite wound does not guarantee ZN. Infection from bites is inevitable, but in rare cases ZN will not transfer and the infected will simply die and stay dead, as long as they are ZN free. Some bitten may not have IPZ (see insert).
Do I need to worry about other physical exposure (e.g. scratches, blood transference, skin contact)?
- • Yes. If a zombie scratches you, diseased tissue and blood under its nails can transfer into the cut, causing infection or parasitic contamination. Blood discharging from a zombie's mouth can cause the same health concerns, even if it fails to bite down; bodily substances through saliva, open wounds, and sweat can contain the same infectious substances from a bite. Skin contact is safe but unadvisable. Please make sure to cover any wounds before coming into contact with the dead.
I've been bitten. What do I do?
- • Take a deep breath. Relax. There is no need to panic. Assess your surroundings. As soon as possible, get to a safe place with sturdy doors. Examine your body. How is the wound? It would do you no good to bleed to death, so staunch the wound and attend to any other injuries.
• In the next few hours, it is vital to pay attention to your physical and mental symptoms. If someone else is around, it is preferable for them to do this for you. The symptoms of ZN are markedly different than those of infection alone, but in some ways they overlap and become confusing. The primary symptom of ZN is delirium; however, delirium can be present in infection without ZN, especially near death. The two can be distinguished behaviourally and by the introspectional content. The former is best deduced by external observers and the latter by the bitten individual.
• Behaviourally, those with ZN have a greater tendency for paranoia and violence. They will act on invisible threats by attacking innocuous by-standers. Staying in another room is typically enough to avoid injury. Sometimes violence will be self-inflicted, such as gouging the face––e.g. eyes, mouth, cheeks. They may also babble about sights "at the edges of the eyes" or make moaning noises.
• Introspectional content is marked by hallucinations. Please by sure to familiarize yourself with such content before symptoms occur. Hallucinations consist in frightening imagery of
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