Nausicaan dermo-vascular bacterial infections
An uncommon, but serious condition occurring after a sufficient breach of the multiple external eternal dermal layers becomes infected and reseals. Nausicaan biology primarily prioritizes regeneration of external tissue damage given their home planet's hazardous ecology.
After a deeper wound becomes infected the point is sealed with thicker than normal tissue that is highly inflamed as the immune system attacks the pathogen. As the infection spreads through the bloodstream the skin becomes irritated and further patches begin to form, though they are often less pronounced than the initial point of infection.
Symptoms include:
Fever
Patches of rough skin discoloration with accompanying severe itching
Nausea
Extreme distress and confusion
Difficulty urinating
Dehydration
While their thick layers of skin, rapid tissue regeneration, and reduced pain response is typically beneficial to the species, it does unfortunately result in a heightened sensitivity to pruritic conditions when they occur. This and the increased temperature, decreased dermal ventilation, and dehydration that occurs as a result of these types of infections tend to make Nausicaan patients highly confused and volatile.
While some infections may be mild enough to resolve on their own through the immune system's response, many require a specialized treatment that drastically reduces the duration of infection, though is not without risk (primarily to the physician).
A sterilization gel is applied to the patch of skin, which is then abraded with a specialized debridement pad to soften the area for the use of a sonic lancing device. Once the area is exposed a suction vacuum of the area may occur to remove infected fluids and dermal buildup, then a localized cauterization performed. This also permits for the injection of antibiotics into the bloodstream. Hyposprays do not tend to be effective through Nausicaan tissue due to its unique density and structure, making oral or direct injection into pre-weakened tissue a more effective means of administering medication. For best, most expedient effects, the process should be repeated at each point of dermal thickening where possible.
Followup injections of localized antipruritic medication will greatly increase the patient's comfort as the infection fades out, but requires further, though far less intensive, initial sterilization, damage to the outer dermis to permit injection, and minor cauterization to reseal.
Most points of inflammation should clear quickly after the primary point of infection is addressed, and with full intensive treatment the infection should clear fully in under two days.
Sedation will likely be required for the patient to rest and may be given through injection or oral tablets depending upon the patient's degree of cooperation (which may vary greatly depending upon their degree of mental clarity, respect for the physician within their schema of social hierarchy, and their desire for relief).
Increasing the ventilation and airflow within area in which the patient is being treated and recuperating will likely greatly reduce the patient's anxiety given Nausicaa's constant crosswinds (and may help mitigate the severity of the smell that often occurs during such infections).
If urination becomes too difficult the bladder may require sonic stimulation by the patient or the medical staff depending upon the patient's degree of mental clarity. Fluids may be taken orally or through intravenous means, though an IV injection point will require periodic widening as the tissue attempts to regrow.
Antipyretics should not be given barring a dangerous increase temperature or extremely severe dehydration, though decreasing the temperature of the flowing air to increase the patient's comfort is permissible.
Many times such infections can be prevented through detection before such an otherwise noticeable degree of infection sets in; Traditionally another Nausicaan within a social unit will be able to detect the genesis of such an infection via the smell of the infected tissue and perform or instruct in preventive cauterization of the area before the infection spreads. Barring another helpful Nausicaan's presence, a similar practice may be done after a more serious injury occurs via a properly calibrated tricorder.