The Blackout Syndrome: Epilog

Epilog

he Blackout Syndrome is a fictional story with a scientific basis. Here's how to separate fact from fiction:

No such disease is known to exist. Our fictitious new bacterium was modeled on the known pathogen Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium associated with salt and fresh water, which occasionally causes food poisoning.
Hemorrhagic symptoms are rare, usually genetically acquired disorders. We theorized our new strain of Vibrio vulnificus did not cause stomach upset, but instead released a toxin into the bloodstream that prevented blood clotting. No comparable pathogen or toxin is known to exist.
It is illegal to sell unpasteurized milk in the United States. Because milk is such a rich environment for microbes, the health standards for its preparation are strict. It is probably the most heavily regulated food we have.
For story reasons, we did not mention the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or other health organizations. In real life, the CDC would be quick to respond to such an outbreak, just as it handled the SARS outbreak, the Legionnaire's Disease outbreak and many others.
For story reasons, we simplified all the mystery puzzles, and compressed the time line. In real life, the identification of a disease vector or the selection of an antibiotic are usually not as simple as we have presented.

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The Blackout Syndrome was written by Ken Eklund, illustrated by Candace Lourdes,
and produced by Newfront Communications.