So you’ve started watching The Last of Us (or playing the PlayStation video games) and you’re wondering what these fungus zombies are all about. Valid. Us too!
Let’s break it down.
In The Last of Us the Infected are the creepy, zombie-like figures, whose existence has a a scientifically-plausible explanation. The Infected are once-healthy humans who have been infected by the Cordyceps fungus, which has taken over their brains, and subsequently mutated.
The Stages of The Infection
The stages of being infected will only progress in the right environments or in due time. Some Infected can remain stagnant for longer than others and some even die before they reach the end of evolution.
One thing is for sure: regardless of the state, all of the infected are contagious through their violent attacks.
Runners: The newbies! Super fast, violent and desperate to get more to join the crowd, which means infecting as many others as possible. This is an extremely aggressive stage and they will attack you.
Stalkers: As the infection progresses, the Infected slow down. At this stage the ‘zombies’ are stealthy and hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to strike — rather than wasting their energy on chasing you. Looks wise, it’s not great, their fungal growths are noticeable but they’re still relatively mobile.
Clickers: The infection has complete hold of the victim now. Picture large fungal growths, covered head-to-toe in mushroom like masses and eyesight is gone. They now turn to echolocation — clicking to find their prey.
Bloaters: The final stage of the infection. Completely infected, overthrown by the power of the fungal growth. They are super slow but super powerful and essentially your worst nightmare.
What Are the Symptoms of The Last of Us Infection?
Before one becomes an easily-identifiable runner, how can they tell they’re infected?
Once a person is infected, the Cordyceps begins to spread through their body. While some may be fully-infected within a few hours, others may resist transforming entirely for. a couple of days. During the period between being bitten and turning into a Runner, the victim will exhibit mild symptoms such as a cough, confusion, aggression and muscle spasms. Sounds fun…
Could Cordyceps Infect Humans?
The scientific name for the Cordyceps virus featured in The Last of Us is Ophiocordyceps unilateralis — so yes, it is a real thing.
In real life, this fungus infects insects and takes over their brains and bodies. Now imagine it mutating and infecting the human population, transforming victims into vicious, zombie-like creatures. Thankfully, it’s thought the species of fungi can only infect and parasitise certain insects and isn’t a threat to humans, per Yale Medicine, so we aren’t likely to be living in an IRL The Last of Us sitch any time soon.
Where to Watch The Last of Us In Australia
