Kale'osis
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Kale'osis (Nongban pronunciation: [kɒleːʔɶsisə], Tun'Ilhameng pronunciation: [qəleː ʔoðiðə]) is a contagious protozoan (parasitic) infection of the heart and/or kidneys caused by the Kale'osis protozoan Kinetoplastid kalebae. Kale'osis causes a failure of the body to absorb Alkali metals (Lithium, Sodium, Potassium) as well as copper (I) ions and pass them onto the rest of the body through the K. kalebae flagellates consuming free ions of Lithium Sodium or Potassium in blood and holding onto them until death or mitosis.
Kale'osis typically kills a victim 1-4 years after infection when untreated and on average 15 years with proper treatment with up to 30 years possible for healthy individuals. heart infections typically kill 2 to 3 times fasters than kidney-only infections.
Kinetoplastid kalebae is endemic to a number of Nongban desert oasis and bodies of water.
Kinetoplastid kalebae
Outside of animals K. kalebae typically live in sodium or potassium rich water, making them extremophiles (halophiles). The Yotumic Divisionary Federation had only naturally discovered them in Hano lake and Gansu lake and a number of smaller ponds and subterranean bodies of water throughout the Nongban desert. Hano and Gansu lakes are both pink salt lakes (caused by the pressence of Dunaliella salina) while all known instances of K. kalebae living in water sources not rich in sodium were next to deposits of niter (potassium nitrate).
When in an animal K. kalebae can reproduce in parts of the body where Alkali metals ions are richest such as the Kidneys during blood filtration. K. kalebae infections of the heart are known to be a mutation of K. kalebae called Kinetoplastid kalebae cardi. This mutation occurs convergently in most long term cases of K. kalebae due to the high potential for increasing the population. However, K. kalebae cardi can be transmitted animal to animal through bodily fluids.
When K. kalebae absorb copper (I) ions they will quickly die due replacing it's usage of Sodium and Potassium for copper ions which do not provide any biological roles. Akin to lead in animals. The rate of death is proportional to the copper absorbtion. K. kalebae can typically survive with up to half of its Sodium and Potassium content replaced with copper but with hinderance to it's mobility, hypothesized to be due to increased mass that supplementation with copper ions causes. Lithium can cause similar issues.
It is unclear why K. kalebae absorb Alkali Metals, however the fact that they also absorb copper (I) ions specifically suggests that contain proteins that rely on specific monovalent cations to perform biological tasks and that gave them a niche in environments rich in sodium and potassium but not copper.
The YDF first recorded the disease in 220 TT and kept it from spreading shortly after the cause was found by quarantining the lakes. It is believed that the creature mutated into an infectious from noninfectious ancestors around that time.
Causes
Kale'osis can infect any individual however infectivity is highly correlated to concentrations of Alkali metals in the body and the source. Both abnormally high and abnormally low levels of sodium or potassium in the body cause increased infectivity, this is hypothesized to be because of hormonal responses to low sodium or potassium in the renin–angiotensin system however the root cause is still unknown.
Kale'osis most commonly spreads through bodily fluids but can also spread congenitally, sexually, or from polluted sources (see Kinetoplastid kalebae), however not airborne. Infectivity is highly correlated to the sodium and potassium concentration of the source and how much is expected to be taken in.
| Source | Infectivity (attack rate) |
|---|---|
| Congenital | >99% |
| Polluted Fluid | 50-98% |
| Urine - Mucosal | 70% |
| Semen/Vaginal Fluid | 34% |
| Blood - Blood | 25% |
| Saliva - Mucosal | 20% |
| Ingestion - Feces | 17% |
| Ingestion - Breast milk | 5% |
Kale'osis becomes contagious between 5-9 days after exposure and successful infection.
Symptoms
the symptoms of Kale'osis are typically those of potassium and sodium deficiencies:
- Physical weakness
- Cramps
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Arrhythmia
- Cardiac arrest
- Seizure
Most symptoms appear at later stages as the parasite multiplies and causes permanent damage. However immune responses early on can cause fever and vomiting.
Prognosis
The current prognosis for Kale'osis is consumption of copper (I) ions to attempt weakening the flagellates, but not so much as to cause heavy metal poisoning in the patient. Kale'osis has no reliable cure but there have been successes in removing the infected organ during early phases and hoping that the flagellates did not infect the rest of the body, however that is atypical.
Giving the patient electrolytes can help ease suffering at the end of their expected life, however increasing the content of sodium and potassium in the body otherwises causes the flagellates to multiply so this is not advised by the YDF medical council.