Diseases — Brain Disease

Overview

Brain Disease, also known as Kuru, is a permanent, incurable prion disease contracted through the consumption of human meat. Once contracted, the survivor suffers from involuntary nervous system spasms and uncontrollable laughter, which makes stealth impossible and marks the end of the character's viability.

How It Works

The disease is triggered by eating human flesh or human fat. There is no cure; once the symptoms manifest, they persist until the character dies. The primary indicators are periodic, uncontrollable giggling fits and hand tremors that severely degrade weapon accuracy and aiming stability. These symptoms appear in stages, eventually becoming frequent enough to reveal your location to any nearby players or infected.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Avoid consuming any meat found on human corpses, as it is always infected with the prion.
2. If you accidentally consume human meat, check your character status for the "sickness" icon, though Kuru symptoms often manifest after a delay.
3. Observe your character for the first audible giggle or hand tremor, which confirms the infection.
4. If you have progressed to the stage of uncontrollable laughter, accept that the character is permanently compromised.
5. Store your gear in a hidden crate or bury it using a shovel to pass items to your next spawn, as the character cannot be healed.
6. Once you are ready, commit suicide to reset your character and remove the disease.

Tips

• Never accept cooked meat from strangers unless you are 100% certain of its origin, as human meat is indistinguishable from animal meat when cooked.
• Use a Bloodtestkit early if you suspect you have eaten something questionable, though it will not specifically diagnose Kuru.
• If you intend to play a cannibal character, accept that you will be constantly tracked by sound and prioritize high-mobility gear over long-range sniping.
• Avoid engaging in stealth missions or sniping roles if you have even the slightest suspicion of infection, as a random giggle will ruin your position.

Common Mistakes

• Assuming that Tetracyclineantibiotics will cure the shakes; antibiotics have zero effect on prion-based diseases.
• Attempting to use a Vitaminbottle to boost immunity against the disease, which is ineffective against ingested pathogens.
• Cutting up a friend's body for food, thinking that cooking the meat removes the disease; cooking does not neutralize prions.
• Ignoring the early, subtle tremors and continuing to fire your weapon, leading to wasted ammunition and missed shots.

Related Items

• Vitaminbottle
• Tetracyclineantibiotics
• Bloodtestkit
• Charcoaltablets

Related Guides

• Hunting and Trapping
• Cooking and Fireplaces
• Medical Basics