# zombies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombies/654183>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 28, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombies/654183 "2013-03-28T16:09:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Rama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ccd318/32.png) [@Rama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rama)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombies/654183/21 "2013-03-29T15:08:30Z")

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> [@sidhechaos](#):
>
> which leads to the question how is it that when they fight the zombies and they stab them in the head and that crap is spewing all over their face and in their mouths and eyes (think andrea in the bathroom of the RV killing the zombie with the screwdriver) why dont they get infected? My answer is that its transmitted via saliva, so from a bite and it occurs from a scratch because like toddlers:p, zombies always stick their fingers in thier mouths and have spit under their fingernails.

Answer:

Everyone’s infected but they don’t ‘‘turn’’ until they’re dead. They didn’t know that until the end of the second season.

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombies/654183/22 "2013-03-30T18:14:54Z")

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My WAG is that zombies aren’t infested _with_ a virus…

…A zombie **IS** a virus.  
A Macrovirus, infecting a new host with genetic material via biting.

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