Infection
A microorganism that attacks open wounds may cause an “infection.” Infections are possible anywhere, but some places (especially jungles) may harbor especially severe forms of infection.
Open wounds treated with antibiotics (TL6+) never become infected except on a critically failed First Aid or Physician roll. People wounded under less-than-clean circumstances (GM’s decision) and who do not receive treatment must make a HT+3 roll, modified as follows:
- Ordinary “clean” dirt in wound: +0.
- Dung or other infected matter in wound: -2.
- Locale harbors a special infection: -3.
These modifiers are cumulative, and replace those listed under Contagion.
On a failure, the wound is infected. Treat this as any other disease. A typical infection requires a daily HT roll, modified as above, with failure indicating the loss of 1 HP.
Most infections progress until the victim either makes a HT roll, ending the infection, or takes so much injury that he dies. Treatment with antibiotics (TL6+) gives +3 to HT rolls. This usually halts the infection before serious injury can occur.
If drugs are unavailable, or if the patient doesn’t respond, a surgeon can cut out the infected tissue if the injury from infection hasn’t progressed beyond a certain point. On the head or torso, this limit is the patient’s HP/2. On a limb or extremity, it is the amount of injury required to cripple the body part. Surgery cannot help infections more severe than this.
The surgeon must make a Surgery roll. This inflicts 2d HP of injury to the head or torso, or amputates a limb or extremity. On a success, it cures the infection. On a failure, injury or amputation occurs but the patient remains infected.