MLP Infection

About

MLP Infection, also known as MLP Infection AU or Pestraobia, refers to a My Little Pony creepypasta and alternate universe (AU) that centers on a flesh and mind eating disease called Pestraobia. MLP Infection art, videos and content, which showed MLP characters as decaying and cursed, surfaced on TikTok in late 2023, continuing into January 2024. Much of the MLP Infection art was shared via TikTok slideshows. As Pestraobia went viral, other MLP Infection AUs emerged such as the so-called Smile Virus.

Origin

On December 13th, 2023, Russian-speaking TikToker^[1] @osushat posted a photo slideshow that described a "flesh and mind eating disease" called Pestraobia that was infecting ponies in an alternate universe of My Little Pony. The photos identified MLP character Starlight Glimmer as patient zero (or "initiator"). Over one month, the photos received roughly 540,500 plays and 42,400 likes (shown below).

Spread

TikToker @osushat continued the art trend across multiple slideshows uploaded to TikTok^[2][3] in December 2023, expanding the lore of the Pestraobia infection. For instance, a slideshow posted by @osushat on December 14th, 2023, received roughly 477,900 plays and 40,300 likes in one month (two photos shown below).

Smile Virus

On December 26th, 2023, TikToker^[4] @bunnyizcute posted a slideshow that outlined a different MLP Infection AU about a virus called the Smile Virus. The photos gained roughly 576,900 likes in one month (shown below).

Soon after, others added to the Smile Virus lore via slideshows and videos posted on TikTok.^[5]

Further Spread

Going into January 2024, other creators on TikTok started adding to the MLP Infection universe with their art and videos. For instance, on January 3rd, 2024, TikToker^[6] @aerofie posted a gameplay representation of Fluttershy's encounter with an infected pony, gaining roughly 609,400 plays and 51,900 likes in three weeks (shown below, left).

On January 13th, 2024, TikToker^[7] @etc.etcetera posted an original animation to represent the MLP Infection, gaining over 3.4 million plays and 409,600 likes in 12 days (shown below, right).

In January 2024, artists on TikTok continued to post slideshows with fan art. For instance, on January 18th, 2024, TikToker^[8] @gojosdirtysocks posted art that referenced the MordeTwi meme, gaining over 2.5 million plays and 566,800 likes in one week (shown below).

Later in January 2024, YouTubers posted MLP Infection videos, adding to the trend. For instance, an early adopter was YouTuber^[9] frommi who posted a roughly 29-minute-long video on January 19th, 2024, which explained the MLP Infection AUs, gaining over 18,000 views in six days (shown below, left).

On January 21st, 2024, YouTuber^[10] Ryuji Saeki posted a roughly six-minute-long analog horror video about a new MLP Infection AU called Swamp Fever, gaining roughly 29,700 views in four days (shown below, right).

During the same timeframe, MLP Infection art also surfaced on DeviantArt ^[11] and Tumblr. ^[12]

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References