Zombie Research Society
Police in Youngstown, Ohio have received more than a dozen calls last March regarding a plague of zombie raccoons! The nocturnal animals were often seen during the day; walking on their hind legs, frothing at the mouth, and baring their teeth, before eventually falling into a comatose state. Many of the raccoons appeared overly aggressive and seemed completely unafraid of humans. Obviously this unusual behavior has begun to frighten local residents.
Professor of epidemiology and Zombie Research Society Advisory Board member Tara Smith recently discussed the epidemic with Inside Edition during a televised interview. After viewing some of the disturbing footage captured on film, she suggested that the animals were likely suffering from rabies or a viral disease known as distemper.
He’s confused, he’s baring his teeth. He doesn’t know quite what he’s doing, and he looks like a zombie … They [the film crew] should not be approaching this animal … This is a wild animal infected with a disease. So, they’re unpredictable; you don’t know what they’re going to do, and you could end up with a fatal infection.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources seems to agree with her assessment; noting that distemper can cause seizures, immobility, and brain damage. They’re also quick to point out that distemper does not infect humans. However, they seemed less interested in mentioning that this condition is actually caused by an RNA virus in the paramyxoviridae family.
Of course, paramyxoviruses are known to cause a wide variety of illnesses in humans such as measles, mumps, and parainfluenza. Considering the devastating effects of zoonotic diseases that have spread from animals to humans, such as MERS, mad cow disease, and the bubonic plague; epidemiologists and zombie researchers should take note of this recent outbreak.
The symptoms of distemper are remarkably similar to those of a zombie. And what may seem scientifically impossible today, may very well bring about the inevitable zombie apocalypse tomorrow. So check out the Inside Edition video below featuring our Advisory Board member Tara Smith, and learn more about distemper here; because what you don’t know can eat you!
Still waiting for the 28 days later rage disease.