List of fictional diseases

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This article is an attempt to compile a list of fictional diseases—nonexistent, named medical conditions which appear in fiction. The list contains illnesses which have evolved naturally; artificially engineered biological weapons; hereditary diseases; magical diseases; and technology-based diseases. Most items are followed by a brief description. Please note that some of these descriptions include spoilers for the corresponding works of fiction.

Contents

[edit] Evolved diseases

For the sake of convenience, infectious diseases of unknown origin and diseases created by radiation or drug resistance are included in this section.

Name Source Symptoms
Andromeda Andromeda Strain Airborne pathogen, unknown organism, extraterrestrial origin. In its original form it caused all the blood in the body to immediately clot. Later mutated into a new form that caused rubber and plastic to crumble into dust.
Alien DNA Theme Hospital Caused by face huggers with intelligent alien blood, the subject undergoes gradual alien metamorphosis and experiences desires to destroy human cities. This disease is cured by stripping the patient mechanically of their DNA, cleansing it of alien elements and quickly replacing it.
Arad-II monochrom, Art Basel Miami Beach, Dec. 2005 Belonging to the Onoviridae family, Arad-II is similar to the Freiberg virus and is a trigger for Morbus Gamow-Shapley disease (another fictional disease). With over 1,500 cases worldwide, the disease is usually results in death by "mental aberration".
Bardiel Neon Genesis Evangelion An airborne, parasitic entity that can infect the bodies and possibly the minds of organic beings, domineering them to its will; it does so with Evangelion Unit-03. It can presumably be killed by the destruction of its host entity, as Unit-01 (under Dummy Plug control) appears to destroy it by eviscerating the infected Unit-03.
Bowden's Malady Firefly A degenerative disease affecting bones and muscles. It is treatable with a medicine called Pescaline D. Mentioned in episode The Train Job.
Cold Ben 10 episode "Side Effects" The effect of a human cold virus on members of Heat Blast's fire-based species. Changes their fire powers to ice.
Cosmic Rust Transformers Highly contagious, viral-like agent of unknown origin that induces severe rusting in Cybertronian alloys. Certain forms of radiation exacerbate the spread of the disease, though a lack of the radiation renders the rust nearly totally dormant. Only known treatment is Corrostop.
Dave's Syndrome Black Books The cause of Dave's Syndrome is unknown. It is triggered at 88 degrees Fahrenheit, causing the victim to revert mentally to a primitive human state, shunning clothes and rampaging. Bernard Black doubts its existence, though his employee Manny Bianco claims to suffer from it. It is eventually triggered, and bystanders seem to have seen it before.
Drafa Plague Babylon 5 Neutralizes chemicals in the synaptic gap, thus inhibiting nerve signals from the brain to the rest of the body. Without clear direction from the brain as a result of the signals being blocked, the organs lose their ability to function correctly. For those that can be affected, the disease is 100% contagious, and if left untreated 100% terminal.
Dreaming Death Guiding Light Killed characters on the soap opera Guiding Light.
The Drips Moreau Series A venereal disease that only affects the genetically engineered non-human characters in S. Andrew Swann's Moreau Series
DR SAM The Plague Tales A drug-resistant staphylococcus strain in Ann Benson's The Plague Tales novels. DR SAM is an acronym for "drug-resistant staphylococcus aureus mexicalis."
Five Day Disease One piece A sickness caused by a bite from a mosquito thought to be long dead (however, it still lives on little garden). It causes rising fever for 119 to 124 hours until the infection reaches the heart and causes instant death. Symptoms are spots showing up at the mosquito bite, sweating, fever rising over 40° Celsius and fainting.
Flictonic Clipple Waver Syndrome FLCL A possibly fictional disease, even within the story, that is the cause of the bump on Naota's head. Symptoms, according to Haruko, include lack of a brain and unsightly bumps on one's forehead. If Haruko is to be believed then symptoms or effects in later episodes include the growth of cat ears and having one's head act as an interdimensional portal. It is also one possible source of the show's title.
Foaming Sheep Sickness Discworld A disease caused by eating green mutton in the Discworld novel Jingo, a parody of Mad Cow Disease.
Geostigma Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children The negative side-effects of one's immune system overexerting the body in an attempt to purge Jenova's cells from within. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, open sores on the surface of one's skin, the excretion of dark pus from one's pores, and discoloration of the skin.
Glaubner's disease Firesign Theatre (symptoms unspecified)
Green Fever Sealab 2021 Caused by being away from Carbon Monoxide for an extensively long period of time, a physical breakdown occurs first causing the victim to go ballistic. Then all of the stomach vile backs up into the throat and lungs making the victim suffocate for a long time until eventually the head isn't able to handle it and explodes under the pressure.
Hate Plague Transformers Bacterial spore of unknown origin transmitted by touch. Induces extreme paranoia and aggression in the infected, causing them to strike out against anyone or anything in an increasingly maddening desire to destroy. Symptoms include a deep reddish glow emanating from the infected. The only curative is intense logic and wisdom, which presumably counters the extreme irrationality the disease causes in its victims.
Holo-virus Red Dwarf A virus of unknown origin that affects hologrammatic lifeforms. First known victim was the hologram Dr. Hildegarde Lanstrom. Lanstrom then passed the virus electronically over the radio to Arnold Rimmer. Symptoms include insanity, "hex-vision" (ability to fire energy beams from the eyes), and, eventually, death from the drain the virus places on the victim's life-force. Rimmer exhibited insanity by wearing a red-and-white checked gingham dress and army boots, talking to (and as) a penguin puppet named Mr. Flibble, and refusing to let his co-crewmembers out of quarantine because "the king of the potato people" wouldn't let him.
HMHVV Shadowrun role playing game Human Meta-Human Vampiric Virus- a blood-borne pathogen, virus, known to produce vampires, wendigoes and other abominations.
HMHVV - Krieger strain Shadowrun role playing game A strain of HMHVV, with similar contagion, but produces cannibalistic ghouls.
Imminent Death Syndrome (IDS) Mr. Show A rare disease where those affected are on the brink of death, every day of their lives. People can live with this condition for over 60 years. Peers and close friends of the diseased will go to great lengths to make sure the person is happy in his/her "last moments" by making them famous or giving great attention to their non-existent talents. Famous celebrities that suffer from IDS include Juliette Lewis, Leroy Nieman, Jerry Lewis, Anne Rice, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Hawking, Quentin Tarantino (the actor, not the director), Hootie and 2 of the Blowfish, the man who draws Ziggy, the man who draws Family Circus, many famous cartoonists, and possibly Jeff Foxworthy.
Invisibility Theme Hospital Sufferers contract this disease via being bitten by radioactive (and invisible) ants. The sufferer does not experience any discomfort; most of the time, they exploit their condition for practical joking. Cured by a colourful potion which "restores the patient to full observability".
Iruel Neon Genesis Evangelion A virus-like Angel that can evolve at an incredibly fast rate to adapt to its environment. It takes both physical and cybernetic form, and is able to infect the MAGI computer system. It is uncertain exactly what effect it has on bio-organic entities.
Luck Virus Red Dwarf One of several naturally occurring "positive viruses" discovered by Dr. Hildegarde Lanstrom. Though usually only present in a human in a minute dose before being fought off by the body's immune system, a massive dose will make the "victim" become, temporarily, the luckiest person who ever lived. This can manifest itself in such ways as randomly picking all the Aces out of a deck of cards or accidentally choosing the correct code on a complex combination lock.
Lurgi (The Dreaded Lurgi) The Goon Show A disease that causes anyone who catches it to say nothing but 'Eeyakkaboo'.
MacGregor Syndrome Batman & Robin Shortness of breath, eventual death
Macrovirus Star Trek: Voyager A virus that can leave the microscopic world after absorbing growth hormones from hosts. It deposits itself in the host's neck, causing a high fever. Compare with the computer macro viruses.
Mandrus, aka "Whore's Blossoms" Stephen King's The Waste Lands Venereal disease causing eruptive facial sores.
Mako Poisoning Final Fantasy VII A disease caused by overexposure to Mako energy. Symptoms include memory loss and overall immune deficiency. More severe cases result in physical mutation.
Marconi's Disease Doctor Who: New Earth Rarely fatal, but usually takes several years to recover from.
Martian venereal disease Transmetropolitan An untreatable infection rare on Earth, except among certain City prostitutes.
Mbwun reovirus The Relic A virus which infects a species of lily found only on a single plateau in Brazil. The leaves of the infected plant have a narcotic quality. When humans consume these leaves, the virus causes them to mutate into a monstrous, unstoppable creature which can only survive by consuming more of the plant--or by consuming the human hypothalamus gland.
Merlin sickness Hyperion (novel) Named after Merlin's affliction of living backwards in time to everyone else described in The Once and Future King, such an individual time reversal can be caused by a particular exposition to the anti-entropic fields of Hyperion and amounts to living each day normally whilst moving backwards two days during each night's sleep.
Monkeynucleosis Hey Arnold! A disease resulting in sweaty hands, irritability, loss of appetite and eventual expiration; it begins with contact with a rabid monkey. Mono is Spanish for "monkey" so it hints of mononucleosis.
Motaba virus Outbreak Named for the Motaba River, causes hemorrhagic fever in humans similar to that of Ebola, a later strain was found to be airborne.
Mutated pneumonia Red Dwarf A virus which evolved from pneumonia during the three million years Dave Lister was in stasis. Its most notable symptom is the creation of solid hallucinations.
Necrotizing fasciitis Cabin Fever An actual disease; however, when it was featured in the movie Cabin Fever, it had a drastically accelerated and amplified effects.
Las Plagas Resident Evil 4 A parasitic, wormlike organism which can infect a variety of hosts, including humans. It has the ability to control its host's behavior, inducing a hivelike mentality among the infected and extreme hostility towards uninfected individuals. The infected can use simple weapons such as scythes and knives.
Pallidine Camp Concnetration Strange strain of Syphillis that is lethal, but as a side effect drastically enhances intelligence.
Pallidome Pancrosis Doctor Who: New Earth Fatal within ten minutes of contracting it.
Panarr Syndrome Star Trek: Enterprise Neurological imbalance caused by improper mind-melding technique. Easily repaired by a proper mind-meld, but can lead to degeneration of the neural pathways if left untreated.
Petrifold Regression Doctor Who: New Earth Sufferer slowly turns into a stone block, similar to fossilization.
Pokérus Pokémon Makes the infected Pokémon stronger. Most of the time, the pokémon's trainer would WANT the pokémon infected to stay infected, because it provided no unwanted side-effects, and the pokémon's stats grow at a higher rate. Pokérus-infected pokémon gain double the EVs (Effort Values) from each battle as long as Pokérus status is in effect. Pokémon can only be infected once, and are thereafter immune. Pokérus status will remain in place while a pokémon is stored in the PC system. Pokérus was introduced in the Gold and Silver versions, and is in all subsequent versions; Red, Blue and Yellow do not have Pokérus.
Psi 2000 virus Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation Causes extreme irrationality in humans, from "The Naked Time" episode of Star Trek. Related strain in "The Naked Now" of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Actually a form of polywater rather than a conventional virus.
Rage 28 Days Later Rage causes extreme aggression and cannibalistic desires in a victim only seconds after being infected with the disease. The disease is easily transmissible through any bodily fluid. Because of this easy transmission, a crowd of hundreds could be infected by one single individual in a manner of minutes. The disease is hypothesized to be a mutated strain of rabies. Animal testing was being performed on the disease but one animal was released by activists unaware of the virus. The infection soon spread to eliminate the entire population of Britain save a few lucky individuals who managed to survive.
The Red Death The Masque of the Red Death A fictional plague from Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red Death." Victims bleed from their pores before eventually dying
Rigellian fever Star Trek McCoy in Requiem for Methuselah: "Have you ever seen a victim of Rigellian Fever? They die in one day; the effects are like Bubonic plague."
Sexual-Magnetism Virus Red Dwarf One of several naturally occurring "positive viruses" discovered by Dr. Hildegarde Lanstrom. Though usually only present in a human in a minute dose before being fought off by the body's immune system, a massive dose will make the "victim" become, temporarily, ridiculously attractive to the opposite sex. As a result, any person of the opposite sex the victim meets will literally be unable to keep his or her hands off of the victim.
Sickness, The Lost A disease that allegedly plagues the Island in Lost. It is not clear whether it is a real threat or imaginary on the show, since the people who believe in it seem to be either somewhat insane or possibly the subject of a psychological experiment. A vaccine exists that supposedly prevents it
Sin's Toxin Final Fantasy X A sickness occurring as a result of coming in contact with a toxin secreted from Sin. Causes memory loss and a general state of confusion.
Senga But'n'Ben A-Go-Go A sexually transmitted disease in But'n'Ben A-Go-Go by Matthew Fitt.
Solanum The Zombie Survival Guide A virus which causes infected humans to become zombies. The disease infects the bloodstream, concentrating in the brain. The virus slowly eats away at the frontal lobe causing death in an average of 24 hours (depending on the amount of the virus on initial infection). Transmissible through all bodily fluids, most common a bite from one already infected. The disease kills the body but keeps the cerebral cortex of the brain functioning. The dead body essentially reanimates within one hour of death. The virus is known to carry antibiotic properties, slowing the decomposition of the walking corps as well as triggering a desire to feed on fresh meat although no digestion occurs and the flesh consumed will accumulate inside the zombie. The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks.
Space Mumps Red Dwarf A disease which causes the sufferer's head to swell to the size and shape of a cantaloupe. When the disease "breaks", the swelling explodes.
Stroon Norstrilia A life-extending virus harvested from giant perpetually-sick sheep that only live on the planet Norstrilia, or Old North Australia. From the novel by Cordwainer Smith.
S.T.O.R.M.S Top 10 (comic) Sexually Transmitted Organic Rapid Mutation Syndrome. Evolved due to the sexual interactions of the mutant, robot, superhero, animal and alien etc. etc. citizens of Neopolis. Causes massive mutations that invariably render the sufferer a non-viable organism
Symbalene blood burn Star Trek: Enterprise Causes the vascular lining of blood vessels to boil away.
Twin Fever Metroid Prime "[Twin Tabula] is best known for 'Twin fever', a disease caused by a viral strain native to Twin Tabula. In the early stages of the disease victims suffer from double visions. When the 'Twin Sight' fades, the victim is near death."
Vegan choriomeningitis Star Trek From the episode "The Mark of Gideon," a contagious pathogen from Vega, usually fatal.
Venereal ergot Transmetropolitan An infection that produces uncontrollable hallucinations and delirium.
Venus Particle Tyrannosaur Canyon An extraterrestrial infectious particle found in a lunar rock sample and within a fantastically well-preserved tyrannosaur fossil in the New Mexico desert. It is later revealed that the organism came to Earth via the Chicxulub asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs. The particle, which was named for its resemblance to the symbol of Venus and femininity, causes rapid mitosis and apparent cellular differentiation in its host.
Wasteland Herpes Wasteland computer game Sexual transmitted disease, radiation-mutated form of herpes, prevalent in prostitutes in post-WWIII Nevada.
Watson's Disease Wing Commander A highly contagious disease that afflicts colonists of the planet Fargo in the Dakota System in 2654, Watson's Disease can be prevented by a vaccine.
White Disease Karel Čapek's The White Disease An incurable mysterious form of leprosy, killing people older than 30.
X Parasite disease Metroid Fusion Happens when an X Parasite or colony thereof enters the host body. The host's entire body is quickly overrun by X Parasites via their asexual reproduction. The X Parasites use up all of the body's energy and upon the host creature's death, the X Parasites can replicate the host's body.
Yeyuka Yeyuka, by Greg Egan Causes cancer tumors that spread all around the body.
Zombie contagion Dawn of the Dead In the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, a person could only become a zombie after being bitten by another zombie, showing that whatever caused the dead to rise could only be passed through fluid contact. This makes the epidemic more disease-like in nature than the outbreaks in George A. Romero's original Dead Trilogy, in which any dead body could become reanimated.

[edit] Engineered diseases

Diseases engineered by humans, most of these were created as weapons; some were not.

Name Source Symptoms
Alpha Red Star Wars: The New Jedi Order Virus designed to obliterate the Yuuzhan Vong race in one final act of genocide
AMPS Good News From Outer Space (Acquired Melanin Production Syndrome) - sexually transmitted, genetically engineered disease that turns white people black.
Anthrax Leprosy Pi / Anthrax Leprosy Mu Illuminatus! trilogy Two versions of a highly contagious, deadly disease. Anthrax Leprosy Mu is hinted to be vastly superior to Anthrax Leprosy Pi. Both are created by Dr. Charles Mocenigo, under commission from the United States government, in the Illuminatus! trilogy.
Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome Star Trek: The Next Generation A disease that apparently re-activates pseudogenes, resulting in physical "devolution" to earlier phenotypes. Named after Reginald Barclay in whose body it was inadvertently created.
"The Big Death" Jeremiah Virus, biological weapon, notable for its high lethality amongst persons over the age of puberty, i.e. having adult hormones. The pathogen is transmitted by touch.
Captain Trips The Stand A deadly, flu-based virus. Causes a lethally high fever and is highly contagious.
Chimera Mission: Impossible II A virus engineered by the pharmaceutical corporation BioCyte to create a need for the vaccine Belerophon, which they had also created. The vaccine is only effective within 20 hours of exposure.
Closure Virus Eden: It's an Endless World An RNA retrovirus, causes an overcompensation from the immune system, preventing eukaryotic cells to perform endocytosis and exocytosis. The skin becomes callous and eventually hardens into a rocklike shell, while the internal organs are unable to metabolize and begin necrotizing. Believed to be airborne. Various individuals are immune to the disease, while infected can be treated by becoming cyborgs
Cobra The Cobra Event An engineered virus which, among other things, induces Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome, driving some victims to self-cannibalization of their lips and fingers. Richard Preston's The Cobra Event.
Cordilla virus 24 Causes bleeding from mouth and nose. 99.9% die within an hour of exposure.
DayStar Blade: Trinity An engineered virus targeted specifically at vampires. Highly lethal and readily transmissible, victims typically exhibit choking, convulsions and some blackening of the features before succumbing within seconds.
Descolada Speaker for the Dead An engineered virus featured in the second book of Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" series. Though lethal to humans and all other species, the Descolada was vital to the native life forms on the planet Lusitania. Eventually it is discovered that the virus was created by an unknown race to make planets habitable for their own kind.
Ebola Shiva/Ebola Brahma Rainbow Six An enhanced strain of the Ebola filovirus designed to wipe out the human race except for a handful of environmentally conscious individuals, from Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy. Called "Shiva" in the novel and "Brahma" in the game.
Epideme Red Dwarf Epideme is an engineered, intelligent, sentient virus. It was originally engineered as a stop-smoking aid, a competitor to the nicotine patch. It was designed to block the nerve impulses relating to nicotine, but soon began to block all nerve impulese. More like a parasite, it lives off of its host for a few days until the host dies. Then, it re-animates the dead host's body and transfers itself to another host, usually by attacking and kissing or biting the new victim. If a new victim cannot be found, it can freeze the body and lie dormant for centuries until discovered. Because it is intelligent and sentient, it can be communicated with by attaching a universal translator to the victims brain via electrodes.
FOXDIE Metal Gear Solid A genetically engineered virus that specifically targets certain individuals that the creators wish to permanently silence. Death mimics a heart attack. Also targets at least two of the Snakes born from the Les Enfants Terribles project, but was reengineered for Solid Snake so that if/when FOXDIE kicked in, it would be at an unpredictable date.
Forced Evolutionary Virus Fallout The FEV is a virus developed as a secret project by the American Government, just before the Third World War. The FEV is a virus that "perfects" living cells and causes mutations in healthy humans; increasing intelligence, size and muscle density. These 'super mutants' appear as eight-foot, green skinned humanoids, similar to The Hulk. Humans who have been exposed to high levels of radiation mutate into "ghouls" which are nothing more than immortal walking corpses. The FEV, however, sees reproductive cells as "damaged" and "repairs" them, by adding the missing half of the DNA and rendering mutant sperm and ova sterile and useless.
G-Virus Resident Evil 2 A mutagenic pathogen which causes the host to become a big, constantly evolving, practically unstoppable killing machine, with exceedingly high attack power and immense vitality, in addition to the ability to regenerate and mutate so quickly the carrier virtually loses its mortality. The purified virus can be injected directly into the host, or a mutated host can implant a small larvae, called a G-embryo into another host. The latter mode of transmission is most successful when the host and the new victim are genetically similar. Created by William Birkin. The virus would later merge with the T-Virus, creating an extremely dangerous, electromagnetic-capable variant called the T/G Virus.
G.U.I.L.T. Trauma Center: Under the Knife (Gangliated Utrophin Immuno Latency Toxin) - A usually lethal man-made disease used as the first biological weapon of "medical terrorism" in 2018. Comes in seven different strains that act more as a parasite than a virus, they are removed from the patient in a typically complex manner.
Gray Death Deus Ex Engineered using nanotechnology within a Universal Constructor by Majestic-12, the Gray Death virus is actually a hybrid disease of biological and mechanical structures that exists in the game world of Deus Ex as a global plague. It is based on the adverse and ultimately lethal effects of nanotechnology on an unmodified human body (the player character is augmented, rendering him immune). Named the Gray Death because of the gray patches of discolored skin that cover its victims. The gray patches form scar tissue on the body if and when the disease is cured. Symptoms include the aforementioned discoloration of the skin, coughing, physical pain and death.
HemoPhagic Virus (HPV or HGV) Ultraviolet A virus which causes hemophagia or Hemoglophagia, (the novel and movie spelled it differently) a blood disease. It was once a rare pathogen responsible for historical accounts of Vampires, but was then modified through genetic engineering by the U.S government to give individuals superhuman abilities. These modifications also made the disease far more contagious, and it soon escaped into the general populace. (this is based off actual version of the Disease called 'Hematophagia' and a similar Disease 'Porphyria')
Hyper-Evolutionary Virus StarCraft Created by the Zerg Swarm, the Hyper-Evolutionary Virus causes humans to mutate into Infested Terrans.
JUVE Oryx and Crake A biological weapon developed by Crake, distributed initially in a dormant form via his BlyssPluss pills, symptoms include necrotizing flesh and extreme hemorrhaging to organs
Krytos plague Star Wars, The Krytos Trap A deadly virus created by Evir Derricote by the order of Ysanne Isard. Quickly kills nonhuman victims, but does not affect humans. Was created to create dissent between humans and nonhumans in the New Republic.
Legacy Virus Marvel universe Created by Stryfe, initially affecting only mutants but later revealed to be just as dangerous to non-mutants, it searches for the "X Factor" in a mutant's gene, then destroys the replication process of the RNA. The mutant version of AIDS.
Legion Rainbow Six: Lockdown A genetically engineered nano-virus, illegally developed by biotech company LNR Anderssen. Designed for Aerosol dispersal. Causes Massive bleeding from the nose and mouth and death follows within minutes. Exposure is 100% fatal.
Monkeybusiness Cowboy Bebop A genetically engineered virus designed to act on the 2% difference of DNA between humans and monkeys. Symptoms are transforming from a human to a primate. Introduced in session #4 "Gateway Shuffle."
Noocytes Blood Music Genetically engineered lymphocytes, highly intelligent and capable of altering genetic material.
Omega IV virus Star Trek A disease that removes all water from victims, leaving a pile of dust. From the episode: The Omega Glory.
Omega virus On Her Majesty's Secret Service A disease that makes living things — crops, livestock, perhaps also humans — sterile, created by SPECTRE's Blofeld for the purpose of blackmail.
"The Phage" Star Trek: Voyager Disease which destroys the genetic and cellular patterns of the Vidiian race.
Omnius Scourge Dune: The Battle of Corrin Created by the Tlulaxa scientist Rekur Van for the computer leader Omnius. Has a mortality rate of over 50%. Mutated versions have a mortality rate of 70% or higher. Causes liver failure due to a high buildup of an unknown protein called 'Compound X'.
Plutoxin 7 Escape from LA Snake Plissken is injected with Plutoxin 7 and told that it will kill him in a few hours if he doesn't complete his mission and receive the antidote. It is later revealed to be nothing more than a strain of the flu. As a plot device, it is the equivalent of the explosive capsules implanted in Snake's neck in Escape from New York, which, in fact, did not turn out to be a ruse.
Progenitor Virus Resident Evil In the back-story of the series, the Progenitor virus is the primary virus created by the Umbrella Corporation, a mutagen based off of ebola. Successor viruses include the T-Virus (see below) and the G-Virus (see above).
"Rage" 28 Days Later A blood-borne virus which causes uncontrollable rage within seconds of exposure. A single drop of infected blood can turn a grown man raging in less than twenty seconds. It was developed, or at least tested, at the Cambridge Primate Research Centre.
RV-41 The Garden of Rama A genetically engineered retrovirus which causes the atrophy of the muscles of the heart and subsequent death. From the novel The Garden of Rama by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee.
"The Satan Bug" The Satan Bug The pathogen is never released in the film, but was developed as a biological weapon. It was feared that it could kill off all life, should it escape.
St. Mary's Virus V for Vendetta A bioweapon created at the Larkhill Concentration Camp and tested on political prisoners. It was named for the location of a major outbreak.
Syphon Filter Syphon Filter An artificial virus described as "the ultimate bioweapon" because it can be genetically programmed to target any ethnicity.
Transporter Psychosis Star Trek: The Next Generation Originally diagnosed in Dilimia II this is caused by a neurological chemical breakdown during transport (poor reconstruction of neurological chemicals during dematrialzation) it has a broad range of symptoms that include: things such as a hallucinations, insanity, and in most cases dehydration. This disease was completely prevented however with the invention of the multiplex pattern buffer.
Trixie The Crazies The name of a fictional virus in George Romeros' film 'The Crazies' (1973). A experimental government germ weapon that leaves its victims either dead or irreversibly insane is accidentally released in Evans City, Pennsylvania.
T-Virus Resident Evil Virus, causes dementia and cellular necrosis, mutates easily into other strains, which often have mutagenic effects on the host. If the carrier is an insect, it often involves increased aggressiveness, size, and almost always it includes poisonous traits. In mammals, the mutations include aggressiveness, physiological changes of varying degrees, and extremely increased evolutionary rate. Variants include the NE-T-virus, the Code Veronica virus and the T/G Virus.
VITAS Shadowrun role playing game Virally Induced Toxic Allergy Syndrome - airborne pathogen, virus, produces anaphylactic shock in victims, possible biological weapon.
VOOMER Plague Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 When a VOOMER core goes rogue the nanomachines in its body replicate its own self image. (e.g. a dinosaur or insectoid, if that is its idea of itself) and they subsequently go insane and attack humans. Rogue VOOMERs can merge with machinery thereby furthering the VOOMER plague.
Weasles Discworld "Bio-artificed" disease, apparently a cross between measles and weasels: "We're talking boils that really bite." Mentioned in the Discworld novel Thief of Time.
White Plague Frank Herbert's The White Plague A genetically engineered virus that kills only women.
X-FLU/X-FLU II Mount Dragon A recombinant influenza virus containing a bonobo gene believed to confer immunity against influenza. X-FLU was created by biotechnology corporation GeneDyne in order to make the whole world immune to influenza. However, the recombinant virus causes massive buildup of cerebrospinal fluid, causing massive brain trauma. GeneDyne researcher Guy Carson attempted to alter the virus to remove its deadly properties; instead, he inadvertently created X-FLU II, a more virulent strain which can cause the heads of its victims to burst.

[edit] Technological Diseases

Any disease that came forth from the (ab)use of technology.

Name Source Symptoms
Closed Shell Syndrome Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Cyberbrain Closed Shell Syndrome - A type of autism caused by cyberbrain implants.
Crush Card Yu-Gi-Oh! Red spores enter a duel monster's body (if it has high attack points) and quickly kill the monster.
Cyberbrain Sclerosis Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Cyberbrain implant malady resembling multiple sclerosis, eventually fatal.
Melding Plague Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds A computer virus that affects nanomachines, causing them to go haywire and creating bizarre amalgams of flesh and machine.
NAS Johnny Mnemonic Nerve Attenuation Syndrome, a.k.a. "the Black Shakes" - environmental attributed cause, increased seizures to the point of death.
Pandorax The Tribe A lab-created virus that only affected fully grown adults. The virus soon mutated and began killing teenagers. Its spread was finally stopped when the Mallrats found a cure for the virus.
Phthisis Magic: The Gathering A disease caused by constant exposure to powerstones, with symptoms similar to Tuberculosis.
Reaper (CaV) Reaper by Ben Mezrich A computer virus that jumps from screens and causes the human body to overproduce calcium and eventually "calcify", causing it to shatter to dust and die.
Rouge's Foam Crimes of the Future A psychopathological skin condition caused by future cosmetics, consisting of a white foam produced by the ears. Sexually mature females (within whom it is fatal) are especially prone to the condition, leaving the future of the human race in doubt.
Synthococcus novae Star Trek From the episode "The Way to Eden." The disease was incurable, but an immunization was available.

[edit] Magical diseases

Diseases that come from Fantasy or Mythological settings or are either magical by nature or created by magic.

Name Source Symptoms
Dragon Pox Harry Potter A childhood malady that can be fatal to the elderly. Abraxas Malfoy, grandfather of Draco Malfoy, died of dragon pox.
Corrupted Blood World of Warcraft Initially contracted from killing Hakkar, the God of Blood, in the dungeon of Zul'Gurub. Highly infectious, with an incubation period of 2 seconds and can infect any person in the immediate area. Referred to WoW players as "the Plague", "Hakkar's SARS" or "WoW AIDS" for a major outbreak of the virtual plague in the game due to a programming error.
It (Fairy Flu) The Fairly Oddparents Causes fairies to lose control of their magical powers.
Lehrahk-poison Bionicle Creates a spreading poisonous disease that if not stopped quickly, causes anger/madness and destroys the life functions body.
Planets Discworld A rare magical disease on the Discworld, the most obvious symptom of which is small planets orbiting the victim.
Primary Vocabularyitis Bewitched A disease that causes Samantha Stephens to speak in rhyme in the Bewitched episode "Samantha the Bard."
Teleportitis ADOM and Kingdom of Loathing Causes its victims to regularly teleport at random against their will.
Wailing Death Neverwinter Nights A magically engineered disease that plagues the city of Neverwinter in the Dungeons & Dragons PC-game Neverwinter Nights. The Wailing death is a disease that causes an agonising death, making people wail out in pain before they die. Victims of "the Wailing" can't be resurrected by Clerics and other divine magic-users.
Corprus The Elder Scrolls A disease created by Dagoth Ur, it turns its victims into zombie-like creatures, but they maintain some cognitive capabilities. The Dunmer living gods had shielded Vvardenfell from it by building the Ghostfence.
Porphyric Hemophilia The Elder Scrolls Porphyric Hemophilia causes the victim to turn into a vampire after 72 hours of incubation, during that period it can be normally cured, but should the victim turn into a vampire, he has to follow a quest to be rid of it.
The Plague Warcraft 3 A disease used by the Lich King to turn humans into the Undead, thus weakening Lordaeron for the incoming conquest.
Balloomenia ChalkZone Those who are inflicted expand to resemble balloons, and float in the air in a fashion similar to that of balloons filled with helium gas. Depicted in a children's television show called ChalkZone on the YTV television network where one of the characters can draw anything with chalk, and the drawings immediately transform themselves into a real item (e.g., a drawing of walkie-talkies turns into fully functioning walkie-talkies, etc.).

[edit] Fictional psychological disorders

Psychological complaints that are not, strictly, diseases.

Name Source Symptoms
Anoia (Paranoia Reversa) Discworld Medical Notes (from Once More* With Footnotes) The irrational belief that you are out to get everyone.
Date Rape Psychosis South Park episode Towelie Symptoms unknown. Used as an excuse by Stan and Kyle so they could stay over at Cartman's house to continue playing their Okama Gamesphere.
Floribunda's Syndrome Discworld Medical Notes Causes the sufferer to be uncontrollably polite and quiet. Not usually considered a disorder, except in sergeant-majors, fishwives, etc.
Grimwade's syndrome Doctor Who serial The Robots of Death A pathological fear of robots. Named after the serial's director Peter Grimwade. Also called robophobia (and as such appears in many other sources).
Holodiction Star Trek: The Next Generation The sufferer becomes obsessed with holodeck scenarios, preferring them to social interaction in the real world.
King Complex Theme Hospital A disease caused by the spirit of the dead Elvis entering the patient's mind and taking over, this condition causes the sufferer to don shiny jackets, blue suede shoes and the traditional Elvis hairstyle along with increased consumption of cheeseburgers. The condition is cured by a Psychiatrist telling the patient that they look ridiculous.
Never Nude Arrested Development The affliction stems from "esteem issues, abusive spouses, being overweight, being underweight or simply chilly weather."
Phazon madness Metroid Prime A disorder caused by the death of brain cells in any Gray Matter after Phazon exposure, causing loss of balance,and a tendency to violence.
Thrumble Nose Monty Python's Flying Circus The afflicted's nose is drawn towards the colour purple, the only way to draw the nose from the purple object is to attract it towards a more strongly purple object.
Transporter phobia Star Trek: The Next Generation An irrational fear of using the transporter

[edit] Miscellany

This category includes hereditary diseases, metafictional diseases, “joke” diseases, and anything which defies classification.

Name Source Symptoms
Beastman AIDS CKY (band) From "Skeletor vs. Beastman." It apparently makes Beastman seem pretty thin.
Bloaty Head Theme Hospital A disease caused by sniffing cheese and drinking unpurified rainwater. This is very uncomfortable for the sufferer. The cure entails popping the victim's comically overinflated head with a pin and reinflating it to the correct PSI using "a clever machine".
Boneis Eruptus The Simpsons A disease "where the skeleton tries to leap out of the mouth and escape the body". Made up by Dr. Nick Riviera. Alleviated by "transdental electromicide" (violently electrocuting a person (on the teeth) every ten seconds, preferably with the use of a golf cart motor).
Boneitis Futurama episode "Future Stock" Fatal, non-contagious, affliction of the bones. The victim's bones will eventually (having shown no other debilitation) rapidly (possibly randomly) bend and change shape, killing the sufferer.
Brain Cloud Joe Versus the Volcano The fake fatal diagnosis given to Joe (Tom Hanks) in the movie.
Cancer of the Fist

George Carlin made it up in his book "Napalm and Silly Putty".

 Self explanatory
Cobbles Health episode of Look Around You See Geodermic Grantitis, below.
Conjoined Twin Myslexia "Conjoined Fetus Lady" episode of South Park Condition in which a person is born with a dead fetus (of a deceased conjoined twin) attached to its body.
Cooties widespread in western oral tradition and (pre)adolescent literature variety of symptoms and strains; see the article.
Count Choculitis The Office (US TV series) Made up by Jim Halpert in the episode "Health Care". Symptoms are unknown, but probably involve eating too much of the cereal.
Despair Sickness Eureka Seven A disease which causes humans to stare endlessly at Compac drives. Named after the fact that relatives of the person suffering from the disease become despaired and saddened.
Dipsy-doodle-itis Flintstones A disease that Fred and Barney made up so they could go to Frantic City.
Dragonhide Lanark by Alasdair Gray The sufferer develops a tough hide like a dragon. Both an exaggerated form of eczema and a physical manifestation of the inability to love.
E. Henry Thripshaw's Disease Monty Python's Flying Circus Sufferers say words in the wrong order, and sometimes the wrong word completely. And the thing about saying the wrong word is a) they don't notice it, and b) sometimes orange water given bucket of plaster. Named after the doctor that first diagnosed the disease (and later made into a major motion picture).
Electro-Gonorrhea Futurama Also known as "The Noisy Killer". Supposedly contracted during sexual intercourse between humans and robots.
Entitilitus Mr. Show David Cross character Ronnie Dobbs was an alcoholic spokesperson for the National Entitilitus Foundation. He appeared in a PSA admitting that he was dying of the disease that had no known cause, cure, or even a basic understanding of what it was. "Nobody knows what entitilitus is, but entitilitus kills".
Explosive Diarrhea Jeff Foxworthy A disease so disgusting your employer will "pay you to stay home with it".
Fossil Disease Fullmetal Alchemist Fatal, contagious disease that causes the victim's body to permanently harden into a bumpy, stone-like substance. The process results in a slow, agonizing death. Nothing short of the legendary Philosopher's Stone can cure it.
Gnats Discworld Disease mentioned several times in the Discworld novel Going Postal, without much detail. It may be fatal (one of Moist von Lipwig's scams involved claiming his mother was dying of it) and it may (as believed by Tolliver Groat) be prevented by keeping sulphur in your socks.
Geodermic Grantitis Health episode of Look Around You "Geodermic Grantitis, or Cobbles, is a terrible affliction which causes the sufferer to turn into a pile of rocks". Some sufferers chose not to use the partial cure invented by Dr Phillip Lavender, (who has the disease himself), because
  • the cure only lasts for 15 minutes, and
  • cobbles does have the side effect of allowing you to fly.
Gingervitis South Park The offspring of two people with a specific recessive gene who inherit it from each parent will be "ginger", meaning that they will have pale skin, red hair, and many freckles. In a class presentation on "gingers" Eric Cartman refers to this condition as Gingervitis and additionally claims that these children "have no souls" and cannot be exposed to sunlight. Cartman also refers to "daywalkers" which are only part "ginger", having red hair but able to withstand the sun’s rays (parodying the character Blade). He offers Kyle Broflovski as an example.
Groat's Syndrome Curb Your Enthusiasm A neurological disorder marked by excessive hyperactivity "Like after 5 cups of coffee", named for the doctor who first diagnosed it and not for the shortstop Dick Groat. Rob Reiner is actively involved in fund raising events like celebrity auctions and talent shows.
Hawaiian Cat Flu Garfield and Friends When someone mentions Hawaii, the sufferer will lapse into a spasmic hula dance.
Homer Simpson Syndrome The Simpsons Homer Simpson: "Oh, why me?"; genetic condition, causes cerebral fluid to be 1/8" thicker than normal, cushioning the brain like a helmet, perhaps at the cost of some mental faculties.
Hyper-Cerebral Electrosis Weekly World News An ailment manifested by the explosion of the head which affected fictional chess player "Nikolai Titov" during the Moscow Candidate Masters' Chess Championships.
Hypno-Germ Aqua Teen Hunger Force Infection of sentient germs whose only interest is to stage outlandish plays inside the victim's brain. Causes hallucinations and, eventually, complete loss of motor control. After that, the germs proceed to manipulate your body in whatever way they see fit. Can be contracted from contact with dirty toilet seats; an injection of Mexican Jumping Beans cures it.
Homo-Unerectus The Ladies Man (2000 film) That means your wang is hugeified not by women but by a man.
Ichormea Vanguard Ichormea is a disease which severely alters a person's eyesight so they are unable to see a specific spectrum of color. One of the main characters, Vernon, is afflicted with the disease. Because of this, he is unable to see the color red, and must wear special spectacles to see that color. This disease is non-lethal.
Jigsaw disease Judge Dredd Terminal disease that causes random parts of the body to spontaneously vanish.
Kundis Friends Abnormal growth of unknown origin inexplicable by modern medicine.
Magnimus Obliviophallocytis Upright Citizens Brigade a.k.a "Little Donny Disease" - hereditary, enlarged genitalia that the sufferer is not aware of.
Metastatic Human Cancer Virus Loop Causes unusual cancer that can not be killed, but can be removed, and, despite name, can infect animals and even plants, maybe related to the Ring virus, from Loop by Koji Suzuki.
Mouths Lanark by Alasdair Gray Additional mouths grow on the body, speaking independently of the sufferer.
Pecanitis CatDog Affects dogs who eat pecans; can take effect in a variety of ways. In Dog's case, it causes a large pecan tree to grow out of his head.
Rabbititis Looney Tunes From the Bugs Bunny cartoon short Hare Tonic. Bugs convinces Elmer Fudd he has been infected with this fictional disease carried by rabbits. Sufferers hallucinate they are rabbits, see spots which start swirling, then everything goes black.
Recalcitrant plebney MAD Magazine Invented by Don Martin.
Ryoma Dinosaur Comics There are many types of ryoma, including festering, creeping, salacious and Mephitic Ocular ryoma. It can create a thin sheen of liquid on the skin, also called ryoma. "Ryoma doesn't even exist, and yet it's the most disgusting disease ever."
Skin Failure The Simpsons Affliction made up by Dr. Nick Riviera. Effects are unknown, but it is apparently caused by hyperactivity.
Spontaneous Dental Hydroplosion The Office (US TV series) Affliction made up by Pam Beesley and named by Jim Halpert in the episode "Health Care". Symptoms include teeth turning to liquid and dripping down the back of the patient's throat.
Spottyvegititus LazyTown A fictional disease created by Robbie Rotten to stop people from exercising.
Suds SpongeBob SquarePants An illness contracted by SpongeBob SquarePants (and presumably other sponges) instead of the common cold. Has many of the same symptoms as a cold, except that when sneezing takes place, soapsuds come out of his pores. Can be cured with the "sponge treatment" (using the sponge for cleaning jobs).
Super AIDS "The Death of Eric Cartman" episode of South Park An advanced form of AIDS. Apparently one teaspoon can kill you in a few years, and it's the only thing you need to be afraid of.
TBA Arrested Development The result of fund-raising benefit invitations listing the disease for which money was to be raised as "TBA". Invitees mistook this as the name of the disease rather than its actual meaning "To Be Announced". The fund-raiser was such a success that TBA was used in subsequent years. No actual details or symptoms of TBA are ever given.
Three Stooges Syndrome The Simpsons Condition where the sufferer has every disease known to man, but in perfect balance (including diseases that are not possible for the specific person to get, and even things that are not diseases, such as juvenile diabetes and hysterical pregnancy in an old man). The sufferer can remain in seemingly healthy condition for an extended period of time, but even "the slightest gust of wind" could kill them. The individual diseases, however, retain contagiousness. Misinterpreted by Mr. Burns as making him "indestructible". Mr. Burns is currently the only known reported sufferer.
Torsonic Polarity Syndrome (TPS) "How to Eat With Your Butt" episode of South Park Inherited genetic condition with over 11 sufferers worldwide. The affected have buttocks where their heads should be.
Tortoise Nervosa Night Court episode "Yet Another Day in the Life" Medical condition characterized by extremely slow movement of the limbs, as well as a "Yertle the Turtle" type of vocal impairment. There is no known cure.
Tumorsyphilisitisosis Family Guy A fake fictional disease which causes extra nipples, which look remarkably like pepperoni, to grow and then fall off. Conceived by Peter Griffin as part of a brilliant scheme to get a canceled television program back on the air.
Uromysitisis "The Parking Garage" episode of Seinfeld A disease caused by refraining from urination for a long period of time.
Vaginitus "Fun With Veal" episode of South Park A disease where if you don't eat meat, you get little sores all over your face, which are actually tiny vaginas, and if you don't get it taken care of, you turn into one big vagina.
Head-Pigeons Invader Zim A disease in which pigeons attach themselves to the sufferer's head. Zim currently noted as only sufferer. Can be cured by chasing away the pigeons.
Chronic Cubicle Syndrome "The Fact" episode of "Dilbert" A disease invented by Dogbert to sell a series of books. Symptoms include: blurred vision, muscle joint pain, anxiety, fatigue, depression, hearing loss, poor perception, irritability, bouts of irrational shouting, paranoia, and delusion. Victims initially exhibit denial. If you think you've got it, you've got it.

[edit] To be added

[edit] See also

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness. Revisions and sourced additions are welcome.
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