Captain Trips

Captain Trips is a nickname for the constantly shifting antigen virus (originally known as the Blue Virus) that exterminates 99.4% of the human population in The Stand.

Developed under the code name Project Blue by a biological weapon's laboratory located beneath California's Mojave Desert, it is also known as Blue virus (Blue Virus), A-prime, A6, the rales, superflu, and tube neck.

The virus is set loose on the population when Charlie Campion, who was working in the base that developed it, noticed that the virus had been released in the base and managed to escape with his wife and daughter, but not before being infected with it himself. He carried the virus all the way to Arnette, Texas, before dying, thus setting in motion the events of the novel.

The only three people who are aware of the virus are the homeless doomsayer known as the Monster Shouter, the benevolent old woman Mother Abagial, and the malicious wizard Randall Flagg.

Signs and Symptoms
In The Stand, Chapter 14, a military doctor identifies four stages. He notes great variation in the speed with which an infected person goes through the stages. Some characters skip or backtrack a stage. The disease is highly contagious in all stages.

The first stage has no symptoms, but "wagon wheel" incubator cells appear in the sputum and blood pressure shows abnormal fluctuations. Joe Bob Brentwood in Chapter 8 and Eva Hodges in Chapter 14 are examples.

Stage Two resembles a cold, with some combination of headache, sniffles, sneezes, mild cough, and low fever. Most people are able to continue their normal activities, so they remain excellent vectors. Occasionally, an infant may suffocate on phlegm while showing few other symptoms. ''Many characters in Chapter 3, starting with Norm Bruett, have reached this stage. ''

Stage Three is like a combination of mononucleosis and influenza (grading to pneumonia). The respiratory symptoms become more intense and are accompanied by swollen glands, high fever, and possible delirium. Most people in this stage either go to bed or seek medical attention. In Chapter 19 Alice Underwood is early in this stage when Larry goes downtown, and late in it when he returns to her.

Stage Four is like a combination of pneumonic plague and cancer. Glands become grossly swollen ("tube neck"). The face also swells and darkens. Breathing is labored, with copious production of phlegm and in many cases blood. Fever is very high and delirium is common. In most cases death is caused by respiratory failure. ''Examples include Charles Campion in Chapter 1 and Christopher Bradenton in Chapter 31. ''

Appearances

 * "Night Surf"
 * The Stand
 * The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition
 * Wizard and Glass
 * The Stand: Captain Trips
 * The Stand: American Nightmares
 * The Stand: Soul Survivors