The infected you are refering to are the Clickers (estaladores), I also played it in Portuguese back in 2013 as the dub was SO GOOD, so I also didn't know how to call them the first time when writing in english, funny how your experience is the same as mine with a 12 years gap, lol.
The fact you need to use a shiv/knife to not get instakilled by them is a mechanic to make you have to choose between using the shivs (faca) for either protecting yourself or looting a room with a locked door.
It's fine to get killed by them early on, you need to learn how to navegate them, also it helps A LOT with the tension they add to that world, it works wonders to get you on, as you would need to be that alert if it that was real.
I do dislike instakills on games, strongly dislike it, but it does have that other side to it there.
If you want to talk about the game in portuguese let me know, I suggest we do it after you beat it so I don't spoil you by mistake, as going into it as blind as possible is the best way to experience it.
You'll soon be able to play Part 2 on PC too, and let me tell you, do play it when you can, don't mind the stupid baseless hate you see about it, both those games are absolutely masterful in affecting you in many ways, and the gameplay is a lot better on 2 than it is on 1, it's still one of the most fluidly believable and still grounded gameplays in any game out there.
Regardless, whenever you feel like talking about the game, be sure to reach me if you like.
Enjoy jt!








