About: Vampirism

A vampire's fangs contain a virus. When that virus enters someone's bloodstream, it starts to infect the body's cells. This process takes three days. It starts where the virus entered the bloodstream. Due to the unique antigens of the virus, the body's immune system does not pick up on it as a threat, which leaves the virus free to infect the body. First, it settles in one cell, where its RNA rapidly multiplies and gets sent out. This is the host cell. In principle, if this cell is destroyed within ten minutes of the infection, the infected could be saved and won't turn. Otherwise, the RNA has multiplied and been sent to other cells. In the other cells, the enzymes translate the RNA into proteins? that cause a special kind of cell death. The cells die, but due to having access to the blood's nutrients, they come back to life. Eventually, though, all the cells in the body are killed and the infected has either become a vampire, because additional blood has been supplied to the system during the turning to keep the cells working, or they've died. If they've turned, the RNA of the cell eventually turns into DNA and adds onto the original DNA, after which only vampiric cells are created. This process can take up to a year, in which the newborn does not have full vampiric capabilities. After this though, the vampire has all normal vampiric capabilities (though some, witches for example, may develop more abilities later), which include immortality, super strength and speed, a lust for blood, and the ability to turn others into vampires, as the DNA in the cells of the teeth produces the RNA, which is stored in the protective layer of the fangs and can then be passed into another's bloodstream.

There are only three outcomes: 1. The virus is stopped from spreading, which means the person will recover completely and won't turn. 2. The virus spreads and kills all of the cells, but extra blood is supplied during the three-day turning period and the person will survive and will have turned into a vampire. 3. The virus spreads and kills all of the cells, but no extra blood has been supplied to revive the cells, which means the person dies.

Everyone is susceptible to the disease. The only way to not get infected is when bitten by another species, due to the fact that the RNA, and subsequently the DNA, is specific per species. For example, when a human is bitten by a vampiric wolf, the human doesn't turn, as the immune system detects the foreign RNA and destroys it.

Those who are bitten automatically carry the disease, and are affected by it as well. There is no one who is just a carrier, seeing as this is not a natural disease.

No contact with vampires. Save for that, only certain rare spells will work, that form a protective layer around the cells, so the virus can't come into contact with them. A vaccine is being developed right now, both by vampires and living creatures, to ensure safety for both.

They are usually isolated cases, sometimes accidents, sometimes not. Only a few times has there been an epidemic, where a psychopath had tried to turn multiple unwilling people. This is a severe crime.