Possible Anti-nit:

In the guide, Phil wonders how the illness was supposed to spread through the prison if it requires close contact to work, and patient zero is in solitary confinement. Although dialogue doesn't say so, maybe patient zero was designated to be moved shortly to a lower-security cell, or get one hours of walking in the yard?

So the pharma company has just discovered this illness, doesn't appear to have a cure - since they don't treat the infected people - but launches a test nonetheless? Why? No mice available? Did they only want to know how the illness spread, how it worked, etc.?

As far as I understood the dialogue, the pustules contain the fluid with the parasite, which causes the real illness. Yet, when the pustules open, there are also the adult roaches crawling around, and under the microscope Scully is shown larvas. So the parasite which the bug is carrying stays with the bug the whole time? And what causes the bulging pustules - the bug or the illness? If the former, this should be well known. If the later, how does the bug get its larvae to a new host? This whole thing doesn't make much sense since carriers and parasites don't often share all stages of development -usually parasites switch hosts several times.

When the Dr. placed the bug on Scullys arm to prove she isn't infected, I felt reminded of "Ice", where the writers use the same funny biology.

Not to cynic, but considering that the inkubation period is only 36 hrs, and the first symptons, i.e. pustules, show earlier, why is it so important to use the bug on Scully anyway? Just wait 36 hours, and if she has no pustules, she is clean. (Yes, the doc explains that scully needs to get away quick, before sth. happens to her from the suited-up guys, but they don't seem to care about evidence from Scully one way or the other - they never demand to check her before she goes. Even if Scully were infected, she could leave and put herself in quarantine in a hospital - as long as she has no pustules, she isn't a danger.

So how big is that parasite that carries the illness? The doc and the girlfriend of the prisoner both try immediately to wash of the stuff after they're sprayed with it, yet become infected nevertheless. Since there are larvaes crawling around under the microscope, the parasite is much bigger than a bacteria or virus (which would get through the skin or be breathed in despite the washing). However, if the parasite is much bigger, how come it can't be washed away? How come the victims don't notice it piercing the skin?

I seem to recall that the girlfriend wasn't actually infected. I know they put her in that room, but when Mulder visits her, she seems OK. So she did succeed in washing it off. The Doctor, on the other hand, had to run quite a distance before he could wash his face. Also note, their mouths were open (gross, but I imagine they didn't spit enough....).

Although Phil more-or-less says this in the Guide, the episode had a decent concept but every character either had to be dumb or an a-hole in order for the plot to pan out like it did, and that's just plain poor writing. From the teaser until right before the closing credits it's one misstep after another!

I'm fairly sure it's well established by now that CSM doesn't work for the FBI, or any other identifiable government agency, so why doesn't Mulder point this out when in Skinner's office?

Speaking of that scene, CSM tells Mulder to go do his job if he's so worried about the spread of the contagion. This would've been a great time for Mulder to mention that he doesn't work for CSM since hunting escaped fugitives and containing disease isn't part of the job! It's also never explained why M & S were put on this case to begin with. Was it a plan by the Consortium to get rid of them both?