Stop Bleeding and Understand the Two Infections

Stop bleeding first, then work out what caused the injury. In unmodded PC single-player, treating a wound and preventing the Knox Infection are separate things. The bite advice here assumes Blood + Saliva transmission and normal infection mortality; custom settings can change the outcome.

Cover the bleeding wound

Move clear of immediate zombie attacks, then open the Health panel through the heart icon. Right-click the affected body part and choose a dressing available in the treatment menu. Open, bleeding wounds need covering; do this before returning to your loot search. PZwiki Health

Carry several dressings where you can find them quickly. A medical bandage, adhesive dressing or suitable rag offered by the menu can get you through the immediate problem. Read every injured body part instead of assuming the first bandage dealt with everything.

Pay attention to the injury name too. A dressing controls bleeding, but a deep wound or fracture has additional treatment needs. This guide covers cuts and bites. If the panel shows something more serious, stop the supply run and reach your checked shelter before planning further travel.

Handle dirty dressings without leaving wounds bare

A dirty bandage still stops bleeding, though it raises the chance of a local wound infection. A sterilized bandage can help treat that infection. Keep your last dressing instead of throwing it away while searching for another. PZwiki Bandage

When you have a quiet place and a replacement ready, change one dressing at a time and reapply it promptly. Keep spare clean dressings together so you do not have to search several containers with a wound exposed. Repeatedly removing the same bandage to check for bad news adds work without answering whether you have the Knox Infection.

Read “Infected” correctly

An Infected label beside a wound means a local wound infection. The Health panel does not directly display the Knox Infection. Treat the local injury and continue looking after your survivor; that label alone is no reason to abandon the run. PZwiki Health

Ask how the wound happened. A cut from glass does not transmit the Knox Infection. A zombie scratch or laceration can transmit it, but neither makes transmission certain. With Blood + Saliva transmission, a zombie bite does transmit it. PZwiki Knox Infection

Keep caring for a scratch or laceration without assuming either outcome. Check your recent injuries and other needs if you become unwell; a sickness moodle by itself does not identify the cause. Bad food and tainted water can also cause sickness. PZwiki Health

Understand what a bandage cannot fix

There is no cure for the Knox Infection in ordinary unmodded play. Dressing a bite can control bleeding, but it cannot prevent the eventual infection death under these settings. If you plan to continue in the same world, put useful gear in a known place for your next survivor. PZwiki Knox Infection

For injuries you can recover from, keep food and drinkable water close and avoid another fight. Before comparing your outcome with someone else’s, check whether they changed transmission, infection mortality or added a mod.