TSJ is a genetically engineered virus, which is the primary cause of the zombies in Apocalypse Z.
History[]
According to the books, TSJ was the brainchild of a Cold War era biological weapon from the Soviet Union, whose creator was one of the greatest virologist that would try to flee for the United States, only to die in Germany. TSJ would remain in cold storage for decades to come, until a group of Chechens extremists tried to steal Cold War era weapons. They successfully broke into a Soviet era munitions facility, only to find a minimally guarded laboratory in its place. Their leader give orders to his men to trash the lab, as well as cold storage, having no idea on what they were going to release on the world. This resulted in the Chechens becoming infected with the virus and becoming undead as a result. Following this however, the infected went on a rampage in the Republic of Dagestan, where it spiraled out of control, to the point the World Health Organization, as well as several other nations sent medical teams to the area with permission from the Russian government. This led to the teams being attacked and they demanded military intervention. The wounded team members were returned to their country of origin, but this caused the virus to spread rapidly all over the globe.
Overview[]
According to experts, the TSJ virus was a modified strain of the Ebola virus and hybridized with a number of other viruses afterwards. Like Ebola, TSJ is spread via blood or saliva and as a result, once infecting a host, begins devouring the internal organs and causes the victim to produce blood and excrement from the body before death. Some speculate the virus takes a good 5 days before becoming a zombie, but Marcel witnessed a single infected individual in a matter of hours rather days. According to Alicia however, it takes 3-20 minutes after death, that the victim will rise as a zombie. The virus is transmitted via bites, scratches and even exposure to infected fluid. Unlike Ebola however, the virus causes the zombies to be in a form of suspended animation, as the virus keeps the body from decomposition. The virus gives the zombies a low metabolism, so they need no nourishment, nor oxygen and it's possible they can last indefinitely, unless their brain is destroyed. Those infected with the virus, in areas like deserts, will begin to dry out and mummify.