While these symptoms do not necessarily ensure the death of the host, they can make it easier for nearby Necromorphs to catch and kill the victims. In order for the Necromorph pathogen to infect a host body, the host must first be killed for reasons unknown, living victims who come into contact with the microbes do not undergo transformation, although symptoms of paralysis, catatonia, and impaired breathing can occur. Typically, the infection is passed to new host bodies via specialized Necromorphs such as Infectors or Swarms. The infection is also spread directly through the Necromorph pathogen - that is, the reanimated cells created by the Markers and which compose the Necromorphs.

This signal also affects the minds of intelligent life forms, usually manifesting as dementia and resulting in homicidal and suicidal actions – laying out a rich field of fodder for the Necromorph infection. These structures re-broadcast a highly concentrated electromagnetic signal that alters any dead tissue in range on a cellular level, converting it into Necromorph tissue and re-animating the corpse of the host organism.

The generation of Necromorphs begins with Markers. 1.1 Infection, Recombination, and Reanimationīiology Infection, Recombination, and Reanimation.

Necromorph dead space wiki