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The Change--> The transition from human to Vampire is violent reaction which usually takes place over a period of six to nine months during which the individual undergoes physical, physiological and mental transformations. Most viruses cause disease by infiltrating the host's systems then 'attacking' specific cells by replacing the DNA of cells with a copy of their own, creating more which then do exactly the same thing and so on and so on. The body recognises these infected as foreign objects which the immune system works to irradiate. The Vampirism virus works in much the same way except rather than change the DNA within the cells, it instead adds extra code to the human DNA rather than replacing it completely. This means that the immune system is partly fooled into believing that the adapted cells are normal and are less aggressive in their efforts to remove them. It means that the individual stays mostly human in appearance, the new DNA only serving to enhance the existing structure. The virus for Vampirism is a very old and well evolved organism which benefits the now Vampire in many ways rather than killing it, as per normal of usual viruses. A successful virus seeks symbiosis with it's host, not destruction. Vampirism is passed on in two ways, as a virus through bodily fluids, (blood, saliva and to a lesser degree, semen) and genetically between generations. The Vampire virus is carried in the Vampire's saliva and bodily fluids, however a large dose of the virus through injection or consumption of the Vampire's fluids (usually blood, but not in all cases). It is unlikely the tiny dose of virus present in saliva is sufficient to carry a successful infection. The small amount serves to give the area around a bite to heal quickly, leaving no trace of a feeding. This is huge advantage to a Vampire. The strain of Virus that causes transformation into Wampyrus nosferatu has two differences to the others. It's got less ability to camouflage against the bodies immune system. It is also a more aggressive virus. This means during the transition period from human to Vampire, the individual's body is ravaged by the war being ravaged between the virus and the immune system. Some who would transform into Nosferatu never make it and die before the virus takes hold, in others the immune system wins and humanity is restored. Those few who make it become Wampyrus nosferatu, yet are scarred by the ordeal they have come through. |
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