From: [email removed] (Andy Lilly)
> > First, viruses tend to be *very* species specific.
*RABIES!* (Which afflicts *all* mammals with varying degrees of
lethality, i.e., some frequently infected mammals have large
populations of immune carriers....)
>
> My biology knowledge (at the limit) tends to zero, so I can't
> argue, merely propose: a) I used the word virus. Would any
> virulent form of bacteria or other organism be more suitable as a
> biological warefare agent? b) The virus could afford to be
> specific if it targeted the correct victim.
>
> Surely some 'agent' which affected humanoids in a generic manner
> (e.g. respiratory) would affect all the human species and could
> still be quite lethal to Aslan and Vargr. Perhaps the Hivers
> don't use the same blood
Many blights and wilts are multi-species. Fungi and viroids seem
to be non-discriminating...
A number of virii are multi-species; influenza is perhaps the best
known example. Several truly unpleasant tropical nasties jump
from monkeys to humans (HIV, for one).
Many epidemic diseases have vectors other than humans (Bubonic
Plague in rats & fleas, for example).
For a truly evil virus, read the posts I made about a time-delayed
nanotech "virus" back in the late Hard Times/Survival Margin days,
when the Virus was a rumor being condemned on the TML.
As a matter of record, according to the Julian Protectorate
article some years back in Challenge, the Gashikaan Empire once
tried to wipe out the Vargr species using a tailored virus. They
killed a lot of Vargr, the disease was brought under control, and
the Vargr nations nearby were really pissed off and trashed the
Gashikaan Empire because of it. I don't remember whether this was
the "Sack of Gashikaan" or if the bitterness fostered by the "Sack
of Gashikaan" was what led to the attempted genocide. In any
case, the modern Second Gashikaan Empire is still a bunch of
Vargrphobes.
-- Cynthia Higginbotham
"Q: What is the difference between the BATF and the Gestapo?"
"A: BATF agents speak English."