Wookieepedia:Featured article queue/April 24, 2009

The Krytos virus was a genetically engineered bioweapon designed by the Galactic Empire in 7 ABY that caused the deaths of millions of aliens. Once it infected a host, the virus destroyed the infected host body cell by cell until the victim's flesh fell apart completely, resulting in an agonizing death. Highly contagious, the Krytos virus was designed to both target only non-Human populations and be treated by large amounts of bacta. The virus was transmitted by physical contact or through a water supply, but could not spread by airborne transmission.

The Krytos virus was created by General Evir Derricote under orders from Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard, who released the plague upon Coruscant immediately before the capital world was captured by the New Republic in 7 ABY. Isard hoped the virus would cause resentment between the Human and non-Human populations, leading to the ultimate destruction of the New Republic, which was nearly rendered bankrupt due to the costs of acquiring bacta to treat the illness. Millions of aliens were killed by the Krytos virus, resulting in conspiracy theories among the non-Human populations and political maneuvering within the New Republic Provisional Council.

The plague was eventually eradicated by the Vratix, a bacta-producing insectoid species from Thyferra, who combined bacta and ryll kor to develop rylca, the most effective medicine against the disease. Although the virus itself was short-lived, it helped ignite the Bacta War conflict and did much to fan the flames of anti-Humanism among such extremist alien factions throughout the galaxy. Nolaa Tarkona often referred to the Krytos virus in recruiting for her anti-Human Diversity Alliance, and was inspired by the example set by the virus to seek the Emperor's Plague, a Human-specific virus also designed by Evir Derricote in a failed attempt to wipe out the Human species.