Behavioral Virus

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We’re seeking plausible stories, novels, films, and any other media that relate closely to the following problem:

A disease virus or parasite happens onto a way to alter human behavior, as Toxoplasma makes rats seek out cats, or wasps control caterpillars. Is there a story about that?

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INVASIVE SPECIES by Joseph Wallace (2015 Ace Books) posits a wasplike species that stings and lays eggs in humans… who thereupon go into extreme denial that anything is wrong as they go about their lives with distended bellies helping it to spread… ew, creepy. There is a sequel.

Also see this highly pertinent comic from Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal:

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Alice Tang answered:

HOSTESS, Isaac Asimov short story. Humans are the host to a parasite that makes us human (makes us exploratory) so we can pass on the infection. We can live with it but kills aliens. It is exactly like toxoplasma, which it makes rats fearless and get eaten by cats and spreads the parasite. But someone commented that his wife was the perfect hostess and the protagonist blanched, hence the title.

“The Giving Plague” is a story by David Brin about a virus that has become commensal with humans. Its sole symptom is to make recipients of blood transfusions eager to donate blood. Thus, it has a vector to find new hosts, but medicine hasn’t found it, because it causes no disease or death. A researcher realizes that hosts act altruistic, in general and hence it is an “altruism virus.” Found in Brin’s anthology THE RIVER OF TIME.

Larry Stewart answered:

Heinlein’s The Puppet Masters, although the creatures are macroscopic.

David Weber’s Mesa Alignment is “reprogramming” people, in some undescribed process that takes only a few minutes, so might be nanotechnological.

Star Trek episode “The Naked Time”

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Rahul answered:

M. Night Shyamalan’s film “The Happening”, where plants start releasing chemical compounds that make humans ignore their instinct to self-preserve and become suicidal. People can’t really do anything except wear gas masks or hide deep underground. The plants stop, eventually, but then at the end of the movie, they start again.

Alix Paultre answered:

Asimov’s short story “Each an Explorer” has an interstellar parasitic plant species that harnesses space-faring species to spread itself by fooling its hosts.

David Blackwell answered:

The Parasitology series, beginning with Parasite (2014), by Mira Grant explores genetically modified parasites introduced into humans for health benefits. I read the first book a week or two ago. It seemed a bit of a stretch but it is close to on-topic.

Malcolm Ramsay answered:

M.R. Carey’s book and film The Girl With All the Gifts has an interesting take on this, making it one of few scientifically credible zombie stories.

David Walton’s recent “The Genius Plague” has a fungus that increases human intelligence.

Steak Tartare and the Cats of Gari Babakin by Mary A. Turzillo (April 2009) is actually about a mutant form of Toxoplasma affecting humans

Heather Hile answered:

I thought of the original Star Trek episode This Side of Paradise. The plant spores on a planet make everyone nonviolent and super healthy.

Clay’s Ark by Octavia Butler tells of a returning space ship whose crew are infected by a micro-organism which gives them heightened powers, but drives them to spread it through sexual transmission and biting.

A couple of Star Trek episodes cover this:

  • “This Side of Paradise”: the spores of alien plants induce feelings of peace and euphoria, a desirable condition to pass on.
  • “Operation: Annihilate!”: parasitic beings induce violence and insanity to allow their spread.

One incident in Alan Nourse’s YA novel “Star Surgeon” features a world in the grip of a plague that’s turning the inhabitants into imbeciles. It turns out that the real plague happened some time ago. It was a sentient virus that boosted its host’s intelligence and allowed its civilization to flourish. Unfortunately, the symbiosis is breaking down and the host’s immune systems are fighting back.

As you can imagine, initial treatment proves disastrous.

Betsy Chadwell answered:

I presume you know that toxoplasmosis actually affects human behavior, not just rat behavior. See the Atlantic article:

Brad Neuberg answered:

Vernor Vinge’s A Deepness in the Sky has a subplot with a civilization named the Emergents. The Emergents originally suffered a plague known as the “mindrot”. Eventually, they essentially domesticate the mindrot virus as a weapon and a tool of mental control. They use the domesticated mindrot virus to target specific parts of the brain, essentially turning people into focused appliances.

From the Wikipedia page for this book:

“The mindrot virus originally manifested itself on the Emergents’ home world as a devastating plague, but they subsequently mastered it and learned to use it both as a weapon and as a tool for mental domination. Emergent culture uses mindrot primarily in the form of a variant which technicians can manipulate in order to release neurotoxins to specific parts of the brain. An active MRI-type device triggers changes through dia- and paramagnetic biological molecules. By manipulating the brain in this way, Emergent managers induce obsession with a single idea or specialty, which they call Focus, essentially turning people into brilliant appliances.”

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Rick Owens answered:

Damon Knight’s CV and sequels deal with an alien parasite that hops from person to person, and leaves people more rational after infection.

Gary D answered:

Surprised no one has mentioned “The Screwfly Solution” (1977) by James Tiptree Jr. (Alice B Shelton) where apparently aliens have released a plague that modifies men’s behavior making the sexual response femicide.

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The Santaroga Barrier by Frank Herbert.

I am surprised that no one mentioned Vernor Vinge’s tailored virus that induces “focus”, It is stated outright and forms a key component in “A Deepness in the Sky,” and is alluded to as a possibility in, “Rainbow’s End.” I think that behavior-modifying viruses are a logical target for a regime looking to modify an opponent without destroying them. After all, those people would be useful if only they would …

Furthermore, with the advent of gene sequencers and the discovery of CRISPR, it now becomes possible for nearly anyone to generate viruses. Getting them nailed for behavior mod is going to be the trick. However, given a little time …