its possible that the pathogen might feed off of iron seeing as prison tattoos have higher density of iron than normal it might explain inks un-natural intelligence in undeath.

Also Lukas. A i think your right it might be possible it was just feeding time at the zoo but you never know if the green eye theory holds water and ink is the one in the suit too, which i am under the idea he is, both those points could hold some water, how messed up would it be at the end of all of it i actually got it right, lol.

but something which uses salt water as a foundation enviroment, body fats and Iron as food, it explains how the little ones got so big, they got marked + months of growth could do that, in this event, baring in mind what ever is causing this is really a mutation and becomming a zombie is a bi-product