Zombie Research Society
In Northern Uganda, approximately 3000 children have become afflicted with what has been called “nodding disease,” or more colloquially “zombie disease.” It only affects children, and is truly mysterious.
Symptoms include:
- Continual nodding motion of the head
- Epilepsy-like seizures
- Drooling
- Sleep-walking
- Confusion and disorientation
- Destructive behavior in rare cases
- Inattentiveness and lack of responsiveness
- Severe mental impairment
- Bizarre behaviors like starting fires and isolated incidents of growling and biting
The setting of fires is really mysterious. Often, the children will create a fire and then launch themselves into it. There have been reports of the nodding behavior beginning in one house, and then bizarrely spreading to other children in other houses.
Appearing in the 1980’s in West Africa, “slim disease” turned out to be the beginning of AIDS. Early reports are making the same comparison.
Most heartbreaking of all is the abandonment of these children by their parents, as they feel there is no possibility of rehabilitation.
The cause and exact nature of the syndrome remains unknown, despite investigations by local and international actors, including WHO. Investigations have ruled out toxic, infectious or nutritional factors. There does appear to be a link to Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, as a very large percentage of the outbreaks are located in areas prevalent with that particular ailment. And in both conditions a modest deficiency of vitamin B6 and of other micronutrients, such as zinc, vitamin A and selenium are common.
Nodding disease is just another of many ailments with mysterious origins. As was reported recently in ZRS, a flight had to return to London because of a mysterious on-board illness, and reports of the Zika virus are popping up every day. Nodding disease is a good example of a virus hijacking a human’s brain, and causing it to act in a way it normally wouldn’t — even to its destruction.
I was asked one time how it would be possible for something like a zombie virus could ever make its way around the world. Wouldn’t they just contain it once it was detected, they remarked. My answer was this: The inability to detect a virus without a known DNA footprint, one with an incubation period that would allow it to piggy-back on passengers of planes, ships, and heck, courier packages would easily make that possible.
Food for thought.
Well i really hope there is a zombie apocalypse. Is this even possible? All these movies can somehow be effective! Yay
ASAPEDITZ03@GMAIL.COM They wont be ready because we will all have the virus but we have to die to let it take control.
Obviously these children are discarded…survival of the fittest like in animals? Sad that parents can abandon them or not supervise them properly (flinging themselves into fire = poor or no supervision) I realize their lives and customs are not like ours but wasn’t the African proverb IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD? I guess they will do more research when it spreads thru out Europe and the US (when its too late). I am not saying its a US responsibility…. Its a world wide responsibility. Also the people that
Sounds to me like these kids are getting high off some indigenous plant life. Reminds me of the exact effects dope fiends have. Weird.
Yes, but how many dopers throw themselves into fire?
Solanum is the virus name in Max Brooks book.
You are correct. Thanks. Fact checker has been flogged.
The Zombie Survival Guide says it was SOLANUM. Not Selenium.
Solanum, not Selenium.
I believe it’s the beginning of another crisis like AIDS. In time we will know. Unfortunately the children flinging themselves into fires can only be controlled if they are put on leashes to monitor their movements.