Katlyn Jones- Forum 3

Katlyn Jones- Forum 3

by Deleted user -
Number of replies: 1

I think a perfect virus is almost impossible to make but here’s my best shot.

The name of my virus is Squirrel Pox Virus. The host animal is a squirrel, which is in the virus name. There are over 200 species of squirrels in the world that are classified into three different types: tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels (live science).  These squirrels carry numerous diseases but only a few can be transmitted to humans. Some of the common diseases are typhus, plague, or ringworm, which can be transmitted through bites or other direct contact with these infected squirrels. The symptoms for this virus are very flu like with high fever, coughing, body chills/aches, tiredness, and sore throat but can be very deadly if not treated correctly. The genome would be RNA because it spreads rapidly with the flu-like symptoms and kills fast. This virus can live with it’s host for two weeks with just flu-like symptoms not knowing it’s anything serious and that’s how it gets spread because people don’t expect anything but the common flu.  This is a deadly virus that spreads rapidly and kills instantly if not treated correctly with fluids, rest, and being injected with foxes blood.  Foxes are a predator of squirrels and there blood is one thing that can be injected into humans to help relieve some pain from these horrific flu-like symptoms. The entire squirrel population would have to die off before this virus could be killed or stopped. 

Bradford, Alina. “Squirrels: Diet, Habits & Other Facts.” LiveScience, Purch,

www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html.


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In reply to Deleted user

Re: Katlyn Jones- Forum 3

by Morgan McGuire -
This could be a very scary disease because it has the ability to spread while people are unaware that its even there! Because there is so many different species of squirrels it must be really difficult to be able to narrow it down to where the disease came from. In addition, the fact that it gives off flu like symptoms it was probably really hard to even figure out that there was a new disease and not one that already exists. It was really interesting to learn that fox’s blood could help those affected by squirrel pox virus but it’s so sad that all of the squirrels would have to die.

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