Special Containment Procedures:
All known samples of SCP-7694 are to be stored in a Class-5 Biohazard Container cooled to -200°C. Any tests performed on SCP-7694 are to be carried out remotely. Any ash from objects incinerated as part of these containment procedures is to be stored under the same conditions.
Foundation agents are to monitor all hospitals with a neurology department for signs of SCP-7694-1 instances. All suspected SCP-7694-1 instances are to be taken into Foundation custody and placed in biohazardous humanoid containment cells.
Stage 1 SCP-7694-1 instances are to be kept unaware of their condition for as long as possible. Outside of testing, SCP-7694-1 instances are to be euthanized and incinerated at a minimum of 9573°C upon reaching stage 2.
Any person who has come into contact with one of the following should be considered an SCP-7694-1 instance:
- A stage 3 SCP-7694-1 instance.
- Any object or surface a stage 3 instance has made physical contact with.
- Brain matter from an SCP-7694-1 instance at any stage.
Should any SCP-7694-1 instance progress to stage 4 outside of proper containment, any object or surface that is contaminated is to be incinerated at a minimum of 9573°C; the surrounding area is to be treated as biohazardous until complete decontamination can be confirmed, and every witness is to be considered an SCP-7694-1 instance.
Description:
SCP-7694 is an anomalous misfolded isoform of the major prion protein (PrP). Similarly to other misfolded forms of PrP, SCP-7694 is able to propagate by inducing misfolding in other PrP molecules upon contact. Additionally, SCP-7694 possesses ectoentropic properties, being able to manifest additional SCP-7694 molecules at an exponential rate while inside a living human brain. Furthermore, SCP-7694 exhibits an abnormally high chemical stability for a prion, requiring incineration at a minimum of 9573°C to neutralize.
It is not yet fully understood what causes SCP-7694 to form. However, affected individuals, henceforth designated SCP-7694-1, typically have a history of mild to severe hypochondriasis. Individuals who are aware of the existence of SCP-7694 and have a history of hypochondriasis are estimated to have an approximately 20-60% chance of becoming an SCP-7694-1 instance over a 5-year period. This risk correlates with severity of hypochondriasis.
The progression of symptoms in SCP-7694-1 instances, which can only be halted by termination, typically follows 3 stages:
Stage 1:
SCP-7694-1 instances at stage 1 typically present with one or more of the following symptoms:
- Myokymia.
- Motor tics.
- Mild fatigue.
- Mild headache.
This stage normally lasts for 2-9 months, with a faster progression in instances displaying anxiety over their symptoms. It is hypothesized that this is due to SCP-7694 molecules manifesting more rapidly.
Stage 2:
In addition to the stage 1 symptoms, stage 2 instances present with:
- Mounting intracranial hypertension.
- Persistent nausea.
- Blurred vision.
- Dysarthria.
- Mild ataxia.
This stage normally lasts for 1-3 weeks, with a similar correlation between anxiety and progression to that of stage 1.
Stage 3:
Stage 3 is characterized by the rapid and severe intensification of previous symptoms, primarily headaches, nausea, and intracranial hypertension. Non-anomalous analgesics and antiemetics have proven ineffective at alleviating stage 3 symptoms. In addition to the intensification of previous symptoms, stage 3 instances also present with the following symptoms:
- Rapid-onset dementia.
- Chorea.
- Frequent emesis.
- Sneezing.
MRI scans performed on stage 3 instances have revealed the formation of fistulas connecting the intracranial space to the nasal cavity. This results in leakage of cerebrospinal fluid into the nasal cavity and esophagus, resulting in sneezing and emesis being highly infectious.
This stage normally lasts for 1-2 days, with quicker progression in patients who remain in a waking state.
Stage 4:
Brain MRI of a stage 4 SCP-7694-1 instance, showing distended cranium and fistulas.
Progression to stage 4 is marked by the onset of terminal lucidity, with SCP-7694-1 instances regaining memories and normal motor functions. In addition to the aforementioned symptoms, stage 4 instances present with the following symptoms:
- A strong desire to seek out other people.
- Complete immunity to all known anesthetics.
- Cracking sounds from the cranium.
- The rapid formation of fistulas connecting the intracranial space to the scalp.
Within 2 hours of the onset of stage 4, the cranium of the SCP-7694-1 instance will begin to grow at a significantly accelerated rate before exploding.
Discovery:
SCP-7694 was discovered on 2003-03-24, when a Foundation agent embedded in emergency services in Gothenburg, Sweden was alerted to a person's head exploding in the emergency room at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Due to the report mentioning that a piece of brain stuck to a ceiling lamp displayed signs of spongiform encephalopathy, MTF Beta-7 "Maz Hatters" was deployed to secure the location.
Upon arrival, Beta-7 discovered the entire emergency room covered in cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and pieces of brain, skin, and bone. As per standard biohazard protocol, every individual suspected of having been contaminated was taken into Foundation custody.
The subsequent investigation identified the first known SCP-7694-1 instance to be that of a 31-year-old male with a history of hypochondriasis, henceforth designated SCP-7694-1-A. Medical records showed that -A had been in contact with several physicians over the previous 4 months. Due to its history, its symptoms had been dismissed prior to the aforementioned incident.
Over the following 3 months, 100% of the contained individuals developed symptoms of SCP-7694, in addition to 4 members of Beta-7 and 1 researcher assigned to SCP-7694.
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