The zerghyper-evolutionary virus is an infectious disease through which infestation of living organisms is carried out.[1][2]Terrans and dogs are susceptible to its effects, becoming infested terrans and roverlisks respectively.[3] The protoss are (mostly) immune.[4]
The organic components of adjutants are also susceptible to infestation.[5]
Overview
The virus mutates extremely rapidly, making the possibility of a cure seemingly impossible.[6][7] It can be spread through water.[8] The protoss were able to devise a nano-tech serum that could reverse the effects of infestation,[9] and Confederate remnants developed a way to partially preserve the subject's sanity,[10] but this was apparently no longer viable by the Second Great War.[11][12] By then the Swarm had developed a particularly virulent strain of the virus[13][14] which renders those infected vulnerable to UV radiation.[7]
Khalaiprotoss are (usually) protected from infestation by the fortitude of the Khala, but it has failed in at least one unusual circumstance.[4]Nerazim are protected by the powers of the Void.[15] Terrans are not as fortunate; their psionic potential was noticed by the zerg and the virus was used to assimilate it. The Queen of Blades was an example of a successful infestation, but most terrans, even psychics, were rendered mindless drones by the process due to genetic incompatibility with the virus.[1] Kerrigan made efforts to remedy this and succeeded in the infestation of Ethan Stewart.[16]
Extreme mutation by the virus will turn a terran into an aberration.[17]