8X-17

Actinosporangium Dermatophilus, Also known by it's trade name 8X-17, is a cross-bread bacterial strain of Streptomycesundefined and Dermatophilus Congolensisundefined that was created by Dr. Zaine Grimm and biologically engineered by Paragon Genetic Technology Corporation. It's known to cause the death and subsequent reanimation of humans and animals. These reanimated corpses become violent, cannibalizing the living.

Biology
Actinosporangium Dermatophilus, or 8X-17 is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped coccobacillus, non mobile with no spores. It is a facultative anaerobic organism that can infect humans via other humans through oral, dermal or sexual transmission.

Actinosporangium Dermatophilus is a non-motile, stick-shaped, facultative anaerobic bacterium with bipolar staining (giving it a safety pin appearance) that produces an anti-phagocytic slime layer. It tests negative for urease, lactose fermentation, and indole.

The transmission of 8X-17 by humans is well characterized. Initial acquisition of 8X-17 by the vector occurs during feeding on an infected animal. Several proteins then contribute to the maintenance of the bacteria in the human or animal digestive tract, among them the hemin storage system and Yersinia murine toxin (Ymt). Although Ymt is highly toxic to rodents and was once thought to be produced to ensure reinfection of new hosts, it is important for the survival of 8X-17 in Humans.

In Humans and other susceptible hosts
Pathogenesis due to 8X-17 of mammalian hosts is due to several factors, including an ability of these bacteria to suppress and avoid normal immune system responses such as phagocytosis and antibody production. Bites allow for the bacteria to pass the skin barrier. 8X-17 expresses a plasmin activator that is an important virulence factor for the virus.