SCP-008

**Item #:** SCP-008

**Object Class:** Euclid

**Special Containment Procedures:** SCP-008 samples have
 been deemed Class V extreme biological hazards, and all related
protocols apply. Incineration and irradiation measures will be deployed
in the event of political or military action which may result in the
facility being dismantled; a power failure; or zero communications from
operatives or outside channels during any given eight hour period.

The quarantine period for operatives leaving the facility is four
months. If a breach has occurred, incineration and irradiation measures
shall be deployed. It should be the policy of all G2 sites to not
prepare an evacuation procedure.

**Description:** SCP-008 is a complex prion, samples of
which are stored in each of the known G2 sites. Research into SCP-008 is
 highly classified and primarily aimed at preventing research which may
lead to the synthesis of SCP-008 in the distant future. Traits of the
SCP-008 prion include:

* 100% infectiousness.
* 100% lethality.
* Transmission through exposed mucous membranes and all bodily fluids.
* Not airborne or waterborne.

Symptoms of infection with SCP-008 manifest no more than three hours after exposure, and include:

* Flu-like symptoms with high fever, plus severe dementia in later stages.
* Coma onset approximately 20 hours after first symptoms appear and 12

 hours after noticeable dementia. Coma onset will be considered onset of
 death.

* A period of sporadic cellular necrosis occurs which comes to

resemble gangrene. Surviving tissue assumes its original function and is
 highly resilient.

* Red blood cells greatly increase oxygen storage capacity, resulting

in slower blood flow and increased muscle endurance and strength.

* Nervous and muscular systems are unaffected by total organ failure for several hours.
* Metabolism may decrease to extremely low levels, allowing subject to survive for over 10 years without nutrition.
* High blood viscosity results in negligible blood flow from gunshot, puncture, and slashing injuries.
* Conditioned behavior, motor controls, and instinctive behavioral

mechanisms are damaged, and cognitive abilities are severely retarded
and erratic. Animals experience excessive brain necrosis and are
inactive.

* Subject can adapt to its damaged nervous systems but is limited to

basic physical activities, including standing up, balancing on two legs,
 walking, biting, grabbing, and crawling. Subject will energetically
move towards sights, sounds, and smells it associates with living
humans. Subject will attempt to ingest living humans if physical contact
 is made.

* Neutralizing fully-infected subjects requires significant cranial trauma.

There is strong evidence to suggest SCP-008 itself did not form
naturally on Earth, since variants of similar complexity would have
displaced much of the ecosystem. In 1959, a short collaborative effort
with the USSR to locate G2 sites and eliminate SCP-008 was negotiated
following their discovery. The status of SCP-008 in Russian custody
since collaboration ended is unknown.

**Addendum 008-1**: SCP-500 has been found to be able to completely cure SCP-008 even in the advanced stages of the disease.