The virus initially transmits through airborne particles and causes the host to become an asymptomatic carrier. Following death, Wildfire reactivates the hindbrain and resurrects the deceased host into a zombie, an aggressive vector for the virus. Zombies will attempt to devour any living beings; spreading an active agent of the virus through bites, scratches, and other forms of contamination. The active agent causes a secondary infection called necrosepsis that results in a cytokine storm, organ failure and death within 48 hours. Due to the high infection and mortality rate, and deaths caused by the public's reaction, the planet was overrun. Following the outbreak, variants have been recorded that cause notable differences in behavior and abilities compared to an average zombie
The initial Wildfire infection is asymptomatic and non-fatal. Necrosepsis, the secondary infection caused by contact with a zombie via bites, scratches, or contamination of open wounds, is symptomatic and fatal. The period between infection and the first symptoms (incubation period) may be as short as one hour or longer than twelve hours, depending on the location and severity of the wound and the amount of necrosepsis introduced
Initial symptoms of necrosepsis are often nonspecific, such as a fever and headache. The fever increases and can be upwards of 106.0 °F, causing body chills and sweating. The person later experiences dizziness, weakness, fatigue, and possibly fainting. The person may appear pale, with dilated pupils. Soreness eventually overcomes the person and may be difficult to move. The infection site will have fluid discharge, and the skin around the site will be red, inflamed, and hot
As necrosepsis progresses and causes the inflammation of the brain and meninges, symptoms can include anxiety, insomnia, confusion, agitation, abnormal behavior, paranoia, terror, delirium, and hallucinations
The infection ultimately results in hypercytokinemia (cytokine storm), a pathological reaction in humans in which the innate immune system causes uncontrolled and excessive release of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules called cytokines. Cytokines are a normal part of the body's immune response to infection, but their sudden release in large quantities may cause multisystem organ failure and death
As the major organs begin to fail, the person may be nauseous and experience vomiting and dehydration. They will have difficulty swallowing and breathing as they experience internal hemorrhaging and hemoptysis (coughing up blood). The adrenal glands will hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs
Death usually occurs eight to forty-eight hours after infection. Survival is almost impossible once symptoms have presented, even with intensive care
Typical signs of a zombie after someone has died and reanimated includes shambling, lack of normal human behavior, moaning/growling, paleness, signs of wounds and decomposition, hair-loss, and discoloration in the eyes (red sclera with an amber or cloudy pale blue iris
