Item #: SCP-1360
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: All subjects infected with SCP-1360 will be detained in sterile, 4x5.5x7 meter containment cells located at Site ███. Cells should meet or exceed a Biosafety Level of 3 and should be fitted with a bed, a waste management chamber connected to an incinerator, a dispenser for liquefied nutrition distributed four times daily (and its receptacle), a two-way intercom for communication, and a video camera to observe all behavior. Clothing will come in the form of simple surgical scrubs without socks, shoes, or undergarments.
Level B Hazmat suits are required in order to examine the subject in cases of experimentation. Due to the unpredictable nature of the infected individuals, subjects must be sedated before examinations. A minimum of two disinfectant showers must be utilized before the testing party may leave the decontamination chambers. As of 07/25/20██, the only known ways of eradicating the SCP-1360 virus is by incinerating any remains at a temperature of 1100° Celsius, or to submerge it for 30 minutes in a 45% chloride bleach solution. Contact should be brief and limited with infected individuals due to the high risk of a mass outbreak. In the case of a breach of containment, all personnel on Site must be quarantined, checked for any signs of infection, and to be subjected to study or termination, should they show any signs. All terminated individuals are to be incinerated.
Under no circumstances are infected subject to leave their containment cell or have any access to water due to risk of an outbreak. This includes showering, bathing, the washing of hands, etc. Bedding and clothing is not to be changed or washed under any circumstances, and must be incinerated in the case of subject death. Any attempts to provide subjects with any sort of hygiene product will not be tolerated.
Description: SCP-1360 is a viral infection of unknown origin transferred by skin-to-skin contact and fluids. It was discovered in [DATA EXPUNGED], France 19██, after news of a mass outbreak in a rural town surfaced to the media. SCP-1360 can survive on skin for days, but does not begin its active stage until it reaches contact with the scalp. The infected individual then forms a cyst at the point of contact, and the infection undergoes three stages.
During the first stage, the infected individual develops the urge to grow their hair out and neglect personal hygiene. The area around the cyst becomes itchy and slightly irritated. Scratching is moderate, and all subjects are still high functioning. This stage can last anywhere from 1 month to two years in time. Generally, the more hair the subject has at the time of infection, the shorter the wait time for the next stage. The cyst marking the original point of contact is often less than █ cm at this stage.
The second stage is characterized by a heightened, almost compulsive need to scratch the area of infection and increased irritability in the subjects. The cyst grows to a length of around █ cm, and begins secreting a clear, gel like substance that causes nearby hair to clump together and mat to the scalp. Hair also looks and feels much more oily than possible, even after showers. Subjects are still high functioning, but less likely to comply with requests due to increased irritability. This stage is significantly shorter than the first, lasting two to five weeks.
The third and last stage is the most severe. The cyst grows to a minimum of ██ cm, and then ruptures for unexplained reasons. (Previously thought to be due to increased scratching, but after testing with subjects bound through the second stage, it was revealed that the cysts burst with or without contact from the subject.) It is at this time that the subject is contagious and should be handled with the utmost caution. The outer cyst secretions turn green and take on the smell and texture of human feces, while the inside of the burst cyst leaks a pale yellow colored fluid. Both of these are equally contagious. The urge to scratch becomes intolerable, and subjects report a strong urge to take showers to quell the sensation. All testing has shown that showering does not relieve the sensation, and only serves to spread the virus. All requests for showers must be refused.
Scratching the open cyst proves to be extremely painful, but subjects are compelled to do so to relieve the constant itching. All subjects that have progressed into the third stage are highly unpredictable, as the unending need to scratch drives most insane within █ weeks. Self-mutilation and suicide attempts are to be expected and punished by the use of [DATA EXPUNGED]. Subjects also attempt to cause bodily harm to anyone refusing to let them leave or access to water for bathing. Infection continues for an indefinite period. Despite its horrendous effects, it does not prove to be fatal, provided that the subject does not commit suicide or suffocate on the cyst’s emissions. Agent G█████, the only surviving member of the task force sent to subdue the first outbreak of the infection, has survived the illness for ██ years through the use of [DATA EXPUNGED].
When the host of SCP-1360 dies, the cyst dries and shrivels up, along with any of its secretions over the course of █ hours. (Note: The fluids are still infectious at this time.) Upon closer inspection, the area of the skull directly above the frontal lobe of the brain seems to “deflate” until it is 60% of its original volume. Researches have reported the skull above these areas as feeling “soft” and “spongy”.
Addendum: how does I maek test log