Illness
With the infamous guinea pig disease now a thing of The Sims past, Sims can now catch a few different diseases, each with their own symptoms and method of catching - they're contagious, too.
The Sims
Guinea Pig Disease
This disease was introduced in Livin' Large. Sims can catch it if they are bitten by a guinea pig that has a dirty cage, or from other Sims who have been infected with it. Sims infected with it will sneeze and cough frequently, and their motives will decline. Infected Sims will die if not treated.
Treatment
- Keep the sick Sim(s) home from work or school, have them get plenty of rest, and try to keep their motives up.
- Have the sick Sim(s) view the Forgotten Guinea Pig painting. This is also the most reliable way.
- If the Sim is an adult, have them use The "Concoctanation Station" chemistry set. If a sick Sim uses it, there is a chance that he or she will make a white potion, which will cure the disease. Additionally, there is a good chance that the Sim will make a blue potion which will restore three random motives.
Montezuma's Revenge
This disease was introduced in Vacation. It's a form of food poisoning, and Sims can get it from eating at buffet tables when their Hygiene is low. It will not kill a Sim, but is uncomfortable. Sims with this illness will have trouble keeping their Bladder meter full, and will spend plenty of time in the bathroom.
Treatment
Have the Sim rest, and keep his or her Hygiene up.
Unleashed Mystery Illness
This disease was introduced in Unleashed. Its existence was never officially acknowledged or confirmed, but was widely known in the Sims 1 community. The symptoms are those of the Guinea Pig Disease, but it does not require the presence of a guinea pig. It can affect both Sims and pets, and can be passed between Sims and pets.
Treatment
For Sims, have them rest, force them to eat, and try to keep their motives up. Another option is to use custom content that has been hacked to cure the disease. For pets, the only sure treatment is to use such custom content, as pets cannot be forced to eat or rest.
The Sims 2
Types of Illness
Morning sickness
Morning sickness almost* always happens when a Sim is pregnant and in the first trimester. It also has the same symptoms as food poisoning. If the Sim is a female and she didn't plan for a baby, or if it's a male Sim and he wasn't recently abducted, then it is most likely he/she just ate some spoiled grub.
The only way guaranteed to prevent a Sim from getting morning sickness is to download a mod that will stop it from happening. Otherwise its intensity varies from Sim to Sim.
Food poisoning
There is a 5% chance any time a Sim eats spoiled or burnt food that the Sim will get food poisoning. Sims will suffer nausea (a sharp drop in comfort) diarrhea(a sharp drop in bladder) and will run to the toilet at regular intervals.
Cold
There is a 5% chance any time a Sim goes to work or school that the Sim will catch a cold. Obviously, Sims will suffer from coughing and sneezing fits causing a drop in comfort.
Flu
There is a chance that a Sim, in the presence of cockroaches, will catch the flu. The flu has all the symptoms of a cold with sharp drops in fun and energy as well.
When they Beaker household in Strangetown is first played , there will be cockroaches near the refrigerator. Both Loki and Nervous will go to stomp on them and will catch the flu. It is best to cancel out this action before they stomp on them.
Pneumonia
If the cold is not cured quickly it can turn into pneumonia. The pneumonia has all the symptoms of both the cold and the flu, as well as sharp and sudden drops in energy in which a Sim appears to nearly pass out. If energy drops low enough, the Sim really will pass out.
The Sims infected could die if not treated!
Mysterious disease
Sims can be infected with this when using the biotech station. The symptoms are random, and can be any of the above. It should be noted that this disease is highly contagious and can easily spread through the entire neighborhood in a matter of days.
Curing
The best cure for all illnesses is rest. Keep the ill Sim away from healthy Sims, and make them relax for the period of their illness, until a message appears saying they are cured.
Medicine
The medicine made with the biotech station cuts down the resting time needed to be cured of a sickness.
Orange juice
If The Sims 2: Seasons is installed, drinking orange juice made from Tasty or Mouthwatering fruit will cure colds, or at least reduce the amount of time a Sim will need to rest.
Grandma's Comfort Soup
With The Sims 2: FreeTime installed, Sims with the Family aspiration can achieve the aspiration benefit "Grandma's Comfort Soup". When eaten, it will cure any disease a Sim has. It is recommended to have AT LEAST one Family Sim in the household, whether it be the mom, butler (controllable), or Grandma, just in case one Sim has the "Unknown Virus" or any other small illness.
Grandma's Comfort Soup is the first reward so it is available to Sims with "Family" as a primary or secondary aspiration.
Passing it on
Not all illnesses are contagious and those that are become contagious at different rates. As food poisoning is an infection from only one source and morning sickness only affects pregnant Sims these are not contagious. The mysterious disease is more contagious than the flu and the flu is more contagious than the cold.
Death
If the flu, pneumonia, or a mysterious disease is not cured quickly enough, the Sim will die from illness (Children are taken away by a Social Worker before they get a chance to die). Toddlers and babies cannot get ill. The mysterious disease can kill a Sim in under 24 Sim hours (So it's possible for a child to die of the mysterious disease). You die of a cold after having the illness untreated for nine days.
The Sims 3
Unlike The Sims 2, there have been no conformities of death by sickness in the Sims 3, nor any contagious diseases.
Morning sickness
Morning sickness will always happen when a Sim is pregnant and in the first trimester. Sims will randomly get the Nauseous moodlet and eventually they will vomit.
Food poisoning
If a Sim eats spoiled or burned food will receive the Nauseous moodlet, and will vomit after several hours. They will then need a lot of rest. If this happens to kids, let them skip school.
Tiberium poisoning
Keeping Tiberium (radioactive rock) in a Sim's inventory for a while will give them Nauseous moodlet and cut their mood down.
Eating Meat
If a Vegetarian Sim eats meat, he/she will receive the Nauseous moodlet and will vomit after a while.
Plasma sickness
When a normal Sim drinks Plasma or eats any plasma-based products he/she will get the Nauseous moodlet and vomit after two hours. Also, having a vampire Sim with the vegetarian trait drink plasma from Sims will cause him/her to get the Nauseous moodlet and vomit after a while.