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Info
⚠️ Content warning:
- A mother's death during pregnancy
- Miscarriages
Article: SCP-238-DE - Human-eating infant
Original: May be found here
Author:Dr_Kuttelfisch
Translator:Karpfisch
Item #: SCP-238-DE
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: Given that SCP-238-DE occurs on a global scale, undercover agents must be stationed inside most hospitals and immediately brief the Foundation in case of an SCP-238-DE occurrence. Additionally, the databases of the remaining hospitals have to be browsed by webcrawlers for SCP-238-DE cases. If a case of SCP-238-DE emerges, the individuals afflicted have to be transferred to the St. Caesarius Hospital in Foundation care under the guise of a disease within the scope of pregnancy, if possible. All previous attempts to remove SCP-238-DE are to cease, as they inevitably lead to the infected dying.
All SCP-238-DE-B instances have to swiftly be terminated or cremated. The corpse may - under no circumstances - come into contact with plants and/or plant-like biomass in the process.
Description: SCP-238-DE describes a disease that exclusively manifests inside the body of a woman between the ages 18 to 40 years. How individuals get infected by SCP-238-DE is unclear. It is assumed to be a sexually transmitted disease, as the phenomenon is directly correlated to pregnancy. Subjects infected by SCP-238-DE show normal symptoms of a pregnancy at first; early anomalous features do not manifest until the seventh month of pregnancy.
As soon as infected subjects, hereafter referred to as SCP-238-DE-A, reach the seventh month of pregnancy, the fetus begins to curl as usual for a period of two (2) weeks to then however converge into a ball measuring 30 cm in diameter. The fetus (SCP-238-DE-B) separates from the umbilical cord and now fills the whole amniotic sac. No supernatural occurrences follow until the eight month of pregnancy begins.
SCP-238-DE starts to form thin hair-like protrusions on its outer shell, which penetrate the amniotic sac and spread through the whole body like mushroom mycelium, which causes great pain in the subject. Over time these protrusions begin to weaken the liver's and kidney's efficiency by feasting on their body tissue. All organs are affected within one week after initiation of this stage. SCP-238-DE then begins to feed off SCP-238-DE-A, ultimately leading to its death.
At the time when the actual birth should take place, all life signs cease and SCP-238-DE-B, which looks and behaves like a normal baby by now (with the exception of SCP-238-DE-B missing a navel), is "birthed". This happens the same way as ordinary human infants. SCP-238-DE-A's body decays faster than usual corpses, which is due to "mycelium residues" from SCP-238-DE.
SCP-238-DE-B is largely humanoid after birth but, as has been proven in several tests, only possesses an IQ of 60, which is roughly equal to the mental capacity of a chimpanzee. It usually has a lifespan of twelve (12) years, one specimen even survived for 15 years in rare cases. As of yet, SCP-238-DE-B has proven to be harmless, but shows signs of aggression against other life forms, especially humans or other humanoids in the third week. SCP-238-DE-B is in addition unnaturally strong and able to injure humans very seriously.
There has so far been no known way to hinder an infection of SCP-238-DE from continuing without killing SCP-238-DE-A. How SCP-238-DE forms or spreads is still unknown. With the exception of pregnancy, only a few commonalities could be fathomed between victims and thus barely any factors for an occurrence.
Remark: "Let's assume it is in fact a sexually transmittable disease. The question then remains as to where the illness comes from and why men do not get infected, albeit different. Our theory classifies it as a recessive gene on the X chromosome. Due to the duration of the infection until its discovery, we were thus far unable to prove this fact. Though we were able to extract tissue samples, no results could be achieved in their examination. The thing is that if it is actually true, then where does SCP-238-DE form? Do some male persons carry it with them? And how long? And where do they have this infection from?" - Dr. ███████████
Discovery: SCP-238-DE was initially discovered 12/04/2021 in a hospital, after the Foundation became attentive of reports about unnatural parasitic "disorders". The hospital was placed under quarantine, following a Foundation scientist getting infected with SCP-238-DE on site. Three civilians were infected at this time, another four already perished. The remaining infected were submitted to the St. Caesarius Hospital, where they also died a short time later.
Incident Report 238-DE-06:
On the 23/9/2021 at 7:30, Dr. Sandra ██████ entered the containment cell of Maria Föhr (A female civilian infected with SCP-238-DE in the twenty-sixth week of pregnancy) to examine the SCP-238-DE infection on her. Dr. Sandra ██████ complained about stomach ache around noon and visited the infirmary, where an SCP-238-DE infection was detected inside Dr. Sandra ██████, which, however, spread faster than usual. Dr. Sandra ██████ ultimately perished two hours later due to the effects of SCP-238-DE.
Addendum 1:
Remark by Site Director █████
"It is peculiar that SCP-238-DE spread faster in the scientist than usual, but also not too outlandish. After all, normal diseases also evolve over time and we have no idea how this works in case of anomalous ailments. It is unlikely that Dr. ██████'s infection is correlated to her stay at Miss Föhr's place. All victims have been arbitrary so far and has just been a matter of time until it eventually affects Foundation personnel. The evolution of the disease should be investigated, even if this proves to be difficult, as the St. Caesarius Hospital announced 5 days ago that the last infected person perished in their custody."
Incident 238-DE-17:
On the 2/6/2022, another incident occurred involving SCP-238-DE. Three (3) female staff member of the Foundation inhabiting workspaces outside SCP-238-DE's containment area got infected with SCP-238-DE. After this was discovered, all were transferred to St. Caesarius Hospital. One employee died the same day, another employee the same week. It was attempted to surgically remove SCP-238-DE from the last employee. The surgery failed at the cost of her life, as the spread of SCP-238-DE-B's hairs had progressed too far.
Addendum 2:
Remark by Site Director █████
"I know there are a lot of theories and claims on the subject of SCP-238-DE. I'll say it again. We could not find a connection this time either. I have no clue how so many people can become infected at the same time. It is weird that all were working in the Foundation. And all in Site-DE6. And no one got infected outside of the Foundation at that time. But I repeat. We've investigated everything. There is NO connection. Apparently, it cannot be a sexually transmittable disease either. It has been an arbitrary infection again. None of them even came into contact with the infected. No clues, no connections, no NOTHING. All were infected and we have no idea how. This disease takes its toll on me."
Addendum 3:
Using some intelligence tests, it was attempted to determine the mental abilities of birthed SCP-238-DE-B specimens:
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Listen to a name | SCP-238-DE-B-254 was called "Dennis" over several weeks. It reacted after two and a half weeks when spoken to or called. |
| Learning sign language | Attempts were made over several weeks to teach SCP-238-DE-B-254 the sign language. SCP-238-DE-B-254 became proficient in it after around one month. |
| Eating with cutlery | Under the influence of sedatives, SCP-238-DE-B-254 was allowed to eat in the presence of other scientists. Following a short observation and some practice, the subject ate with fork and knife. |
| Inserting geometrical forms into fitting holes | A bunch of building blocks in different forms and a box containing differently shaped holes were made available to SCP-238-DE-B-254. The instance played with the blocks and the box for some time and actually managed to insert some shapes into the fitting holes. |
| Recognizing itself in the mirror | SCP-238-DE-B-254 was placed in front of a mirror. Even after a longer observation SCP-238-DE-B-254 still showed no signs of recognition. In fact, it seemed unable to perceive its reflection. If this is due to the reflection or the mirror itself is unclear. |
| Recognize glass (Due to the last test's results) | SCP-238-DE-B-254 was placed into a glass labyrinth and observed. It seemed to have had great difficulties and attempted to advance forward by touch. SCP-238-DE-B is seemingly not able to recognize glass. |
Addendum 4:
Several scientists have expressed their worries regarding the tests and containment of the SCP-238-DE-B instances. Dr. Lurch, Dr. Hoffmann and Dr. ████ have opposed and initiate a petition to release said anomalies from containment, as they are "innocent children". I would like to remind you all here again that it is anything but innocent to bite off Dr. Kirot's face. These organisms are, despite cooperation, still dangerous. And even if not, remember what we are here for. - Site Director █████
Addendum 5: Interrogation of Dr. Koch on the 11/05/202█