MHA Infection

U.A made it so people who finished high school enter instead. All the years are now 18 plus. Though due to quirks hormones last up to 24 now. s Pathogen Dossier: The Fruit Infection ("Sweetbloom Parasite")

1. Origins & Environmental Background

• Ground Zero Event: The initial outbreak occurred during the Hero Parade in Musutafu, Japan. Patient Zero was identified as a young male who consumed a contaminated orange purchased from a street market vendor.
• Vector Source: BioVine Labs, a private agricultural biotechnology research facility specializing in genetically modified crops engineered to solve global food scarcity.
• Original Project: "Sweetbloom" — an experimental line of fruit engineered with enhanced nutritional density, extended shelf life, and self-regenerating peels designed to eliminate food waste.
• Mutational Catalyst: During Phase 3 human-tissue testing, a lead scientist injected himself with an experimental serum intended to accelerate fruit growth rates. The serum caused systemic biological failure and vascular mutation. Instead of blooming plant tissue, his blood vessels twisted into plant-like roots, and he coughed up motile, worm-like parasitic seeds.
• Environmental Persistence: Although the scientist was terminated within hours, the mutated seeds survived standard chemical and heat disposal protocols due to anomalous cellular resilience. The seeds escaped via waste transport systems, entered municipal runoff, contaminated commercial agricultural supply chains, and reached public market stalls on the day of the parade.

2. Pathogen Mechanics & Biological Classification

• Biological Nature: The infection is neither viral nor bacterial; it is classified as a parasitic symbiotic biomass. It consists of living, sentient microscopic organisms disguised as fruit pulp. It remains completely inert and silent until ingested by a host.
• Cellular Hijacking: Upon ingestion, the biomass anchors itself to the host's gastrointestinal tissue and utilizes RNA interference (RNAi) to rewrite host cell structures, override natural immunity, and replace native organic tissue with parasitic growth.
• Enzymatic Secretions: As it metabolizes host tissue, the parasite produces specialized bioluminescent enzymes. These enzymes accumulate in bodily fluids and subcutaneous layers and are visible strictly under ultraviolet (UV) light.
• Neural Integration: The biomass weaves tendril networks directly into the host's central and peripheral nervous systems, eventually subverting host motor control and cranial nerves (specifically those governing the tongue and vocal apparatus).
• Dual-Host Status: Every infected individual functions simultaneously as a host and a vector. All bodily fluids (saliva, tears, blood, mucous secretions, respiratory droplets) carry microscopic spores capable of infecting new hosts through open cuts, eyes, mouth, or nasal passages.

3. Stages of Clinical Progression Stage 1 – Latent Carrier

• Incubation Period: Hours to days, depending on the host's immune system and metabolic rate.
• Symptoms: Mostly invisible or mild. Hosts may experience low-grade fever, occasional nausea, transient stomach cramps, and sudden nocturnal heart rate spikes.
• Internal Physiology: The parasite embeds along the intestinal walls and slowly weaves tendrils into nerve endings.
• Diagnostic Obstacles: Standard blood panels, radiological scans, and diagnostic tests return false negatives. Unless an autopsy is performed with detailed tissue dissection, Stage 1 goes entirely undetected.
• Contagion Risk: Active and highly dangerous. Despite the lack of obvious physical symptoms, all bodily secretions carry infectious spores. Contacts often contract the infection without knowing the source.
• Institutional Response (UA High School Protocols):
  • All incoming food, package deliveries, and bottled water are scanned by Pro Heroes using specialized portable bio-sensors before distribution. Pro Heroes like Hawks and Mirio conduct rotating night patrols to scan all logistics.
  • Organic matter showing any trace of symbiotic biomass is incinerated immediately.
  • Because spores can hide in microscopic cracks in packaging or inside visually normal fruit, standard protocol requires mandatory decontamination gear (gloves, respirators) and UV flashlight inspections to check for glowing enzyme residue before touching outside items. Stage 2 – Symptomatic Activation
• Trigger Event: The host's immune system attempts to reject the parasite while the biomass aggressively breaches the bloodstream to rewrite systemic DNA.
• Clinical Symptoms:
  • Dermatological: Slate-gray skin discoloration, localized tissue necrosis, and small subcutaneous tumors/nodules that pulse with a faint purple glow under UV light.
  • Neurological & Behavioral: Severe involuntary motor twitching, muscular spasms, and extreme emotional volatility (unprovoked rage, compulsive crying, severe hysteria).
  • Gastrointestinal: Complete loss of appetite and violent emesis of blackened fluid containing high concentrations of parasite spores.
• Contagion Risk: Extremely high. Respiratory droplets from a single cough or dripping saliva carry millions of spores capable of infecting others through mucosal surfaces or open wounds.
• Institutional Response (UA High School Protocols):
  • Immediate isolation in the Med-Bay Quarantine Wing under the direct supervision of Eraser Head (Aizawa).
  • Absolute prohibition of non-suited personnel; full Level A hazmat suits and respiratory gear are required to enter the containment zone. Even top heroes like Endeavor avoid direct physical contact during patrols.
  • Containment cells are soundproofed and reinforced, as infected hosts alternate between begging for release, screaming curses, and exhibiting initial physical tongue mutations. Stage 3 – Extrusion & External Cloning
• Trigger Event: Total takeover of host neural pathways and physical metamorphosis of the tongue apparatus.
• Clinical Manifestation:
  • Tissue Metamorphosis: The host's tongue elongates and mutates into a thick, black, node-covered neural tendril.
  • Autonomous Vectoring: This mutated tongue mass acts as an extruding neural mass. It is capable of severing itself from the host body and crawling independently like a slimy, motile vine across surfaces, actively seeking warm-blooded flesh.
  • Infection Delivery: Upon locating a new target, the autonomous mass forcefully attaches to or enters the mouth, nose, or throat, injecting concentrated symbiotic biomass directly into the new victim to immediately initialize Stage 1 infection.
  • Host Status: The original host remains alive but reduced to a minimally conscious or vegetative state. The body shuts down all non-essential functions, maintaining only autonomic respiration and circulation to feed itself and its parasitic offspring.
  • Ocular & Vocal Signatures: The host's eyes emit a constant faint purple glow due to concentrated enzyme activity. At night, air forced through mutated vocal structures produces a soft, continuous humming sound.

4. Defense, Containment & Eradication Protocols

• Diagnostic UV Inspection: High-intensity UV flashlights (~365nm waveband) are used as the primary rapid screening tool to detect glowing purple bioluminescent enzyme residue in body fluids, packaging cracks, or subcutaneous tissue.
• Bio-Sensor Screening: Portable biological scanners tuned to symbiotic RNA signatures must filter all incoming logistics, produce, and water supplies.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Full-body hazmat suits, eye protection, and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) are mandatory for all personnel interacting with suspected carriers or containment zones to prevent spore inhalation or mucosal exposure.
• Thermal Destruction Protocol: Standard autoclaving, chemical disinfection, and municipal waste protocols fail to eliminate the parasite. All contaminated food, packaging, organic waste, and infected biological remains must undergo high-temperature incineration exceeding 1,200°C to guarantee the thermal destruction of the spores.