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Oby VI plasma plague

The Oby VI plasma plague virus.

Plasma plague was a lethal disease caused by a group of viruses known since the 2260s and had other occurrences in the 24th century.

The virus was capable of surviving in the vacuum of space as a spore to await a suitable environment. It could be transported using a protective stasis field under a temperature of 97 Kelvin with zero radiation flux. One mutated strain was found to grow more rapidly when exposed to Eichner radiation.

The pioneering research was conducted on the virus by Dr. Susan Nuress and her team in 2295 following an epidemic on Oby VI. It was initially believed to be closely related to either the Legato or Hutzel infection, but all cases proved highly resistant to normal treatment protocol, with continued mortality reaching over 99%. During Oby VI's next planetary year, more than two thousand cases of infections with the virus were reported, with growth proceeding exponentially. To counteract the infection, Dr. Nuress developed a unique strain of the virus (number nine in a series of tests), by bombarding it with Eichner radiation.

This plague threatened the heavily populated Rachelis system in 2365, prompting a mission for the USS Enterprise-D to transport a sample for study to Science Station Tango Sierra. During transport, an unknown source of Eichner radiation caused some growth of the plague. In the virus' etiological report, Doctor Katherine Pulaski determined that the virus was being stimulated by Eichner radiation and they eventually found it. The plague sample was safely delivered. (TNG: "The Child", okudagram)

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