BACTERIONOMICON
The Creatures of the Healing Blade

The land of Soma is beset by hideous invaders. Methicillin-resistant dragon lords called Mersa leave time bombs along the Boundary Wall. A Frost Dragon called Clostridium difficile strains the structural integrity of the Fecal Inlet. A horde of Cthulhu-like tentacled mutants known as the CRE wield Carbapenem Maces and are virtually indestructible. Viyari, a sinister colonic demon, turns other creatures to evil. Monsters like these would run rampant over the land of Soma, if not for the fearless warriors and mages that have come to the rescue. There is Doxycycline, with her razor-sharp ringed weapons, Cipro, with her spiral thrust technique, Penicillin, with his enormous war hammer and animal sidekick, Oxacillin, and the powerful duo of sorcerer Imipenem and shieldbearer Cilastatin, just to name a few.

The Bacterionomicon is a compendium of infectious bacteria and antibiotics presented in the style of an RPG bestiary book, in order to use imagination, metaphor, and stories to aid learning and promote awareness about antibiotic misuse. Learning about bacteria and antibiotics can be overwhelming. There are numerous biological and pharmacological names and categories, different mechanisms of action, and ever-changing therapeutic recommendations to absorb. Embracing the idea that stories make more of a lasting impression than flash cards, Nerdcore Medical has created a fictional compendium of monsters and heroes set in a fantasy world to give people imaginative metaphors to help them differentiate the prominent actors in infectious disease medicine.

The book contains entries for 46 “Lords of Pestilence,” from Acinetobacter baumannii to Yersinia pestis, and 30 “Apothecary Warriors,” from Amoxicillin/Clavulanate to Vancomycin, each with an elaborate high fantasy illustration, descriptions of tribal groupings, fighting styles, and nemeses, and an article about its role in the ongoing battles across the Soman countryside.