How long for infection to break out ?

[starman01]

Hi, me again :)

So, i took one of these people aboard that was hanging on the wall by aliens. Afaik he is infected. He had a status "feeling ill" and "haunted by aliens in my sleep"....

In order to prevent his spore breakout to infest everyone, i put him in isolation. He is in there for 10 days, nothing happens, besides that he becomes more work than he is worth for (hunger, mood, etc.). The "feeling ill" status is long gone, but he is still "haunted in his sleep".

I put most of what he needs in his cell, food, air and leisure, but he just lives a prisoners life.

Are people that are hung to the wall by aliens guranteed infected, or is it just a chance ? How can i see if he is infected ? There seem to be no other info for it. How long will the spore break out take ? If i'm already over that time window, i could release him , right ?

Thanks for any info....

[Nordil(Hun)]

He already released the "spores" if his infection is gone.
You most likely just did not notice it, when you play on faster speeds, it is not easy to notice.

[starman01]

Maybe.... I released him now since nothing was happening after a few more days.
But they are still 100% infectious once they've been in a coccon, right ?

[HangarPilot]

It's random. People on the wall have a *chance* to be infected and, if so, it will manifest in a day or two.

People seem to be always sick when you first take them ... then the "feeling ill" goes away. Those with a spore infection will start "feeling ill" a second time within 1-2 days I think. Keeping them in isolation for 3 days should be more than enough. The mood defuff (haunted) is permanent.

If you don't want to do isolation, another option is to just follow them and watch them for a day or so. You've got time between the onset of "feeling ill" and them having a seizure when you could draft them and take them somewhere "safe" for the spore eruption.

If you have an "Advanced Medical Bed" it can scan them and see if they are infected. If they are infected, a character with 6+ medical skill (now considered a "surgeon") will operate on them and cure them. I used to never take people off walls because of the risk but I've been doing it more now that this "cure" is available. I've seen the spore infection detected and cured ... what I'm a little fuzzy on is the timing....

Say you rescue someone from a wall or you've just had a close encounter with an infester that breached your ship. If I immediately draft the person and send them to the Advanced Medical Bed they come back clean. Are they? The infection seems pretty rare. It seems I've had people scanned only to later start "feeling ill" ... go back to the medical bed, get scanned again to discover a spore infection. I say all of that to say that I THINK that the spore infection isn't detectible until that die roll happens and they begin "feeling ill" with the infection.

You can't force a scan or anything. They will just climb in the bed and nothing happens ... or they will climb in the bed and you'll see something in the log like "scan detected spore infection" and the doctor will come do surgery.

Other than removing it surgically, the spore infection is a one-and-done affair (sort of). They will have a seizure ... if they are low on health they could die. They will be unable to eat for a while and could starve unless you provide IV fluids. But after that, the infection is over and they are fine. However, as you've already deduced, when they have a seizure and "spore eruption" there's a chance for them to infect anyone nearby. Closing vents, wearing space suits, etc. all seem to reduce the chances but DISTANCE is the only guarantee.

Worst-case scenario is eruption occurs during mealtime in the kitchen potentially infecting the anyone/everyone. While crewman 1 is now "cured" because it's over for him/her ... 2, 3, 4 might have it. Later, crewman 3 erupts ... oops ... crewman 1 (who was cured) gets infected a second time. And a vicious spiral begins. Instead of a one-and-done infection the crew begins infecting and re-infecting themselves.

For the longest time isolation was the only strategy ... but the Advanced Medical Beds are an awesome addition.

[Bobucles]

If crew are infected they will try to use an advanced medical bed and get surgery to cure it. Otherwise, your best option is to give them a big meal before stuffing them into quarantine. Creating a quarantine zone is very expensive when space is already at a premium, but a spore eruption in the middle of meal time can potentially kill your entire ship. They will get infected and keep reinfecting each other.

[starman01]

Great tipps, thanks guys... Good to know there is now a cure with the adv. medical bed... I once had the spore breakout during lunchtime, that was quite a catasprophy since i was new to the game and everyone was infecting and dying :)

[novaboy525]

I would add to have some iv fluid too for your medical beds. They won’t be able to eat after the spore release for several days.

[novaboy525]

I usually set up a recovery schedule with no work. Lot of sleep and couple of hours of leisure for crew who are really sick/ hurt.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Nobody used the trick then:P

Easiest way to NOT GET spore eruption from rescued guy on the wall was, to shoot him down from the wall and just let him wander around on the now cleared ship. Especially if there is an airlock just occasionally dock there to fill up the airlock with air, and wait for the guy to have his green symbol removed. Once done approach and rescue or recruit.
Now that the green symbol is gone person is not infectious and can safely come aboard.
Been doing that before the advanced medbay became available:)

[Beltneck]

You can always get rid of infections by turning them into compost.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Beltneck:

You can always get rid of infections by turning them into compost.

Or if they are pirates/slavers sell them to the military:D
Then transport them. Double cash in:P