Below each card is a description of the real biological and virological science that inspired it. Read through to better understand viruses.
This page is still under construction!
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In the game ATP is the currency you need to “purchase” the next stage. Viruses use the energy and pieces of the cells they infect to replicate and grow.
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In the game the Rabies Vaccine is a specific treatment for lyssavirus. Treatment causes the loss of your highest ATP card.
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In the game TamiFlu is a specific treatment for Influenza virus. Treatment causes the loss of your highest ATP card.
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In the game the “No Vaccine” card helps viruses but giving them ATP and letting the virus draw again.
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In the game antiretroviral drugs are specific the specific treatment for retrovirus. Treatment causes the loss of your highest ATP card.
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In the game hospital intervention is a specific the specific treatment for filovirus. Treatment causes the loss of your highest ATP card.
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In the game acetaminophen is the specific the specific treatment for flavivirus. Treatment causes the loss of your highest ATP card.
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In the game antiviral drugs cause the virus player to lose their hand – antiviral drugs are bad for a viruses success.
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Viruses can’t survive high body temperatures, so a fever will help your body get rid of its infection.
In the game, the fever card sends the virus back one stage. While viruses in the body don’t actually go “backwards” ever, fevers can break down the molecules that make up a virus, and even kill some of the infected cells.
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In the game resistance also protects the virus from a treatment, preserving the players highest ATP card, and causing the player who played a treatment to basically waste a turn.
Antibiotics
(Card design coming)
In medicine antibacterial drugs called antibiotics are commonly prescribed for infections. However, they are specific to bacteria (affect parts of the bacterial cell) and have no effect on viruses. However, sometimes people with viral infections are prescribed antibiotics to fight secondary infections (if you have influenza AND get a bacterial lung infection that could be bad!)
In the game antibiotics don’t treat the virus. If you treat a virus with antibiotics you are giving the virus time to grow and thrive, so players draw 2 more cards!
Gene Exchange
(Card design coming)
In biology genes are the pieces of DNA code that contain instructions for proteins that living things use for specific actions. Scientists observe that microbes might exchange genes – saving valuable time in evolution – making diseases stronger. In biology viruses would never exchange ATP, but might actually make copies of their DNA and share them.
In the game the gene exchange card is an opportunity to take a chance and swap a card of your choosing with another player. Not all exchanges benefit microbes, and you don’t know if it will help or hurt your game play either!
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