History Main / ContaminationSituation

* ''WebComic/StandStillStaySilent'': At the end of Chapter 13, Tuuri, one of the two members of the crew that is not TheImmune gets a PlaqueZombie bite. While her infection status may take time to be certain, the precautions include keeping her away from the other vulnerable crew member and having each of them have "their side" in their AwesomePersonnelCarrier. However, Tuuri is an actual member of the crew, the healthy non-immune is a LittleStowaway and nobody else risks getting infected. The LittleStowaway gets the short end of the stick and is the one who ends up with two windowless rooms that include the one used to decontaminate returning combatants, and a sleeping night scout as the only guaranteed source of human company during most of the day.

* ''WebComic/StandStillStaySilent'': At the end of Chapter 13, Tuuri, one of the two members of the crew that is not TheImmune gets an open wound while in close quarters with a PlagueZombie (it's not clear whether the origin of the wound was the zombie itself or something else). While her infection status may take time to be certain, the precautions include keeping her away from the other vulnerable crew member and having each of them have "their side" in their AwesomePersonnelCarrier, with the vehicle's entrance/decontamination room as a buffer zone. However, since Tuuri is an actual member of the crew, the healthy non-immune is a LittleStowaway and nobody else risks getting infected, the LittleStowaway gets the short and of the stick and is the one who ends up with a single room to move in, the buffer zone as his only way out of the vehicle, and a sleeping night scout as the only guaranteed source of human company during most of the day.

* ''WebComic/StandStillStaySilent'': At the end of Chapter 13, Tuuri, one of the two members of the crew that is not TheImmune gets an open wound while in close quarters with a PlagueZombie (it's not clear whether the origin of the wound was the zombie itself or something else). While her infection status may take time to be certain, the precautions include keeping her away from the other vulnerable crew member and having each of them have "their side" in their AwesomePersonnelCarrier, with the vehicle's entrance/decontamination room as a buffer zone. However, since Tuuri is an actual member of the crew, the healthy non-immune is a LittleStowaway and nobody else risks getting infected, the LittleStowaway gets the short and of the stick and is the one who end up with a single room to move in, the buffer zone as his only way out of the vehicle, and a sleeping night scout as the only guaranteed source of human company during most of the day.

* ''WebComic/StandStillStaySilent'': At the end of Chapter 13, Tuuri, one of the two members of the crew that is not TheImmune gets an open wound while in close quarters with a PlagueZombie (it's not clear whether the origin of the wound was the zombie itself or something else). While her infection status will not be known for some time, the precautions include keeping her away from the other vulnerable crew member and having each of them have "their side" in their AwesomePersonnelCarrier. However, since the potential infectee is an actual member of the crew, the healthy non-immune is a LittleStowaway and nobody else risks getting infected, the LittleStowaway gets the short and of the stick and is the one who has to stay in a single room of the vehicle and has to call TheMedic if he needs to go out.

* ''WebComic/StandStillStaySilent'': At the end of Chapter 13, Tuuri, one of the two members of the crew that is not TheImmune gets an open wound while in close quarters with a PlagueZombie (it's not clear whether the origin of the wound was the zombie itself or something else). While her infection status will not be known for some time, the precautions include keeping her away from the other vulnerable crew member and having each of them have "their side" in their AwesomePersonnelCarrier. However, since the potential infectee is an actual member of the crew, the healthy non-immune is a LittleStowaway and nobody else risks getting infected, the LittleStowaway gets the short and of the stick and is the one

[[AC:Western Animation]]
* In ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'', Fry has a dormant 20th C. strain of the common cold, which had been eradicated centuries earlier. It leads to the entire island of Manhattan being quarantined and then launched to the sun for good measure.

* In ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'', two important characters become fatally infected with Cordyceps. Sam pulls the [[ZombieInfectee usual schtick]]; the other reveals her bite in a bid to guilt Joel into doing what she believes is right.

In television, this is most prevelant on crime and medical dramas, not surprisingly. The exposure/infection usually, but not always, happens to a leading character as opposed to a supporting character. If it is a suppoorting character, it will probably be EveryonesBabySister. The goal is for the audience to be emotionally invested, so more often than not, the infected character is a fan favorite.

->'''Gibbs''': Not as bad as you, DiNozzo.
-->--''Series/{{NCIS}}'', "S.W.A.K."

!!!!'''All Spoilers will be unmarked ahead. Beware.'''

One of the best ways to assure that people pay attention is to endanger a character they love. Sometimes, writers need to be able to put characters in a situation that could potentially result in the (apparently) impending death of multiple characters, but where they can be in a relatively peaceful environment and where death will take a while to befall them. This allows for {{Angst}} and life reassessment.

The infection usually advances CharacterDevelopment by causing the character to rethink their life. In television, typically the person who is infected is involved in a [[UnresolvedSexualTension relationship that seems likely to become romantic]], so you can usually expect a good [[ShipTease moment]] from that couple. This can result in a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming or, in the best-case scenerio, a LoveEpiphany. If the infected party is not a member of the [[OfficialCouple golden couple]], those two characters will also probably have a meaningful (and shippy) conversation about the fragility of life.

In television, this is most prevelant on crime and medical dramas, not surprisingly. The exposure/infection usually, but not always, happens to a leading character as opposed to a supporting character. A common exception occurs when a lead character's love interest is a supporting character. The goal is for the audience to be emotionally invested, so more often than not, the infected character is a fan favorite.

Enter the Contamination Situation, in which a main character is exposed to or infected with something very bad, usually potentially fatal and the exposure/infection is a main focus of the episode. In television, unless a character experiences a near-death revelation that completely changes them or dies, these episodes are typically not [[WhamEpisode wham episodes]], but are still usually a big deal. In most cases, we're talking about November/ May sweeps episodes, not season finales.

* In a two-part episode of ''{{Castle}}'', he is exposed to a toxin after shadowing Beckett on a case in D.C. The two had recently become engaged, so the shipping aspect was there, but it mostly served to allow him to work with her despite no longer being under Mayor Welton's discretion (Well, he's dying anyway, might as well let him feel useful).

* In ''ResidentEvil3'', Jill Valentine becomes infected with the T-Virus. It makes her so ill that a second character becomes playable, and it is he who finds a cure.
* In ''TheLastOfUs'', two important characters become fatally infected with Cordyceps. Sam pulls the [[ZombieInfectee usual schtick]]; the other reveals her bite in a bid to guilt Joel into doing what she believes is right.

* This is extraordinarily common in zombie movies, and not just to people who [[ZombieInfectee refuse to tell anyone]]. Perhaps the ur-example is Roger in ''Film/DawnOfTheDead'' (Karen Cooper was in a similar condition in ''NightOfTheLivingDead'', but in that example, neither the audience nor the characters knew that a bite always means death). Roger's infection leads to a poignant moment in which he promises to "try...not to...come back."

Enter the ContaminationSituation, in which a main character is exposed to or infected with something very bad, usually potentially fatal and the exposure/infection is a main focus of the episode. In television, unless a character experiences a near-death revelation that completely changes them or dies, these episodes are typically not [[WhamEpisode wham episodes]], but are still usually a big deal. In most cases, we're talking about November/ May sweeps episodes, not season finales.

* In ''{{Contagion}}'', Matt Damon’s character is infected with a virus, but is immune to it. Later on, one of the main characters has been infected with a virus and uses this to test the cure. Another main character dies from it.

* In ''TheCassandraCrossing'', one of the main characters, a doctor, is infected with a virus and is considered to be an engineered biological weapon.
* In ''{{Airplane}}'' the mysterious sickness gets both the pilot and copilot.
* In the film ''{{Outbreak}}'', Rene Russo and Kevin Spacey's characters both contract the deadly Motaba virus. One of them lives long enough to get the cure. It is, unfortunately, not Kevin Spacey.
* This is extraordinarily common in zombie movies, and not just to people who [[ZombieInfectee refuse to tell anyone]]. Perhaps the ur-example is Roger in ''DawnOfTheDead'' (Karen Cooper was in a similar condition in ''NightOfTheLivingDead'', but in that example, neither the audience nor the characters knew that a bite always means death). Roger's infection leads to a poignant moment in which he promises to "try...not to...come back."

* ''{{Bones}}'' had one in season one ([[ChristmasEpisode "The Man in the Fallout Shelter"]]). The entire team is exposed to an infectious body.
* ''{{Fringe}}'' did theirs in season two. Peter contracts a pathogen at a crime scene.

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', Fry has a dormant 20th C. strain of the common cold, which had been erradicated centuries earlier. It leads to the entire island of Manhattan being quarrantined and then launched to the sun for good measure.

* On ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', in the November sweeps episode "F.Z.Z.T.", Simmons is infected with a virus carried by Loki's soldiers that will eventually cause her to explode, taking the entire plane (and all the other characters) down with her. After apparently failing to develop an anti-serum, she [[spoiler:jumps from the plane in, what is intended to be a HeroicSacrifice.]]

* In ''{{Futurama}}'', Fry has a dormant 20th C. strain of the common cold, which had been erradicated centuries earlier. It leads to the entire island of Manhattan being quarrantined and then launched to the sun for good measure.

* On ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', in the November sweeps episode "F.Z.Z.T.", Simmons is infected with a virus carried by Loki's soldiers that will eventually cause her to explode, taking the entire plane (and all the other characters) down with her. After apparently failing to develop an anti-serum, she jumps from the plane in, what is intended to be a HeroicSacrifice.

In which a main character is exposed to or infected with something very bad, usually potentially fatal and the exposure/infection is a main focus of the episode. In television, unless a character experiences a near-death revelation that completely changes them or dies, these episodes are typically not [[WhamEpisode wham episodes]], but are still usually a big deal, often airing during sweeps.

The infection usually advances CharacterDevelopment by causing the character to rethink their life. In television, typically the person who is infected is involved in a [[UnresolvedSexualTension relationship that seems likely to become romantic]], so you can usually expect a good [[ShipTease moment]] from that couple. In the best-case scenerio, this can result in a LoveEpiphany. If the infected party is not a member of the [[OfficialCouple golden couple]], those two characters will also probably have a meaningful (and shippy) conversation about the fragility of life.

In television, this is most prevelant on crime and medical dramas, not surprisingly. The exposure/infection usually, but not always, happens to a leading character as opposed to a supporting character. A common exception occurs when a lead character's love interest is a supporting character. More often than not, the infected character is a fan favorite.

* On ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', in the November sweeps episode "F.Z.Z.T.", Simmons is infected with a virus carried by Loki's soldiers that will eventually cause her to explode, taking the entire plane (and all the other characters) down with her. After apparently failing to develop an anti-serum, she jumps from the plane in, what is intended to be a HeroicSacrfice.

* On ''Series/{{AgentsOfSHIELD}}'', in the November sweeps episode "F.Z.Z.T.", Simmons is infected with a virus carried by Loki's soldiers that will eventually cause her to explode, taking the entire plane (and all the other characters) down with her. After apparently failing to develop an anti-serum, she jumps from the plane in, what is intended to be a HeroicSacrfice.

* On ''Series/{{AgentsofSHIELD}}'', in the November sweeps episode "F.Z.Z.T.", Simmons is infected with a virus carried by Loki's soldiers that will eventually cause her to explode, taking the entire plane (and all the other characters) down with her. After apparently failing to develop an anti-serum, she jumps from the plane in, what is intended to be a HeroicSacrfice.