Can Vampires get AIDS?

[xcthulhux]

So this is something i have been wondering for a while.

I figured that since they are technically not alive, they could probably get it, but not die from it right?

I know that it is possible for vampires to die of wounds, so does that mean disease can effect them?

In interview with the vampire by anne rice, louis eats rats that have been infected with the black plague, (as well as claudia), and doesn't seem effected by it, but this is only one standpoint.

Anyone else wonder about this?

[Konan-ChanX3]

I think they can get it, but not be effected by it. If were effected by it, then Louis and Claudia wouldn't be around.

[Animeman73]

Hmm, an interesting concept. However I think that if they did get AIDS the disease wouldn't last very long in them. Remember AIDS is a virus and viruses need a warm living body in order to survive. So from a scientific standpoint it seems to me that since nosferatu are prectically dead that while they could get the virus it would probably die off pretty quickly in the vampire's undead body. That's my hypothesis on the matter.

[xcthulhux]

I think they can get it, but not be effected by it. If were effected by it, then Louis and Claudia wouldn't be around.

i think that they could probably get it, and be effected by it, but not die from it.

Hmm, and interesting concept. However I think that if they did get AIDS the disease wouldn't last very long in them. Remember AIDS is a virus and viruses need a warm living body in order to survive. So from a scientific standpoint it seems to me that since nosferatu are prectically dead that while they copuld get the virus it would probably die off pretty quickly in the vampire's undead body. That's my hypothesis on the matter.

This makes perfect sense, but you have to remember that they ARE in fact alive.
Vampires don't ever actually die. They come very close to death, but in a way its like its catching them before they hit the ground. Maybe the vampires are actually created from there own virus.

[TomtheFanboy]

As with any supernatural entity it depends on "which vampire" you're talking about.

Some vampires are explained as aliens. They usually can catch AIDS (or at least transmit it).
Some vampires are explained as demons. They usually can't catch AIDS.
Some vampires are explained as mutated normal humans. They usually can catch AIDS.
Some vampires are explained as animated corpses. They usually can't catch AIDS if they are magic based, but can if they are chemical/virus based.

The vampires from Palladium Books role playing games cannot catch AIDS.
The vampires from Dungeons and Dragons cannot catch AIDS.
The vampires from True Blood can't catch AIDS but they can catch a rare strain of Hepatitis. (superjaz can fact check this for me)
The vampires from the Masquerade and Requiem role playing games can catch and transmit AIDS, but it doesn't do anything to them.

It basically depends on how dead the rest of the vampire seems and what their own blood is like. The vampires that have black rotten blood are not going to be able to sustain the virus. The vampires that can feed the blood to people to enslave them and pass for humans if they try can usually catch AIDS and transmit it to other humans. A lot of the things that would cause a virus to die in vampire blood can be thwarted by the blood's regenerative powers.

[xcthulhux]

that last comment makes sense.
but it just doesn't seem like a vampire would have the immune system to fend off an immunity deficiency virus

[TomtheFanboy]

This makes perfect sense, but you have to remember that they ARE in fact alive.
Vampires don't ever actually die. They come very close to death, but in a way its like its catching them before they hit the ground. Maybe the vampires are actually created from there own virus.

That argument only works with certain kinds of vampires though.

The World of Darkness Kindred of the East, the Kuei-jin, most definitely die. They go to hell when the human dies, and then the P'o (your soul's dark half) and the Hun (your upper soul) join forces to break out of hell and return to their body. After that the Kuei-Jin seeks their place in the world by treading one of many paths to enlightenment, some embracing the P'o, some embracing the Hun, and others seeking a different balance between yin and Yang. The yin aspected Kuei-jin cannot catch AIDS because their bodies are completely dead and corpse like. The vampires who embrace Yang are so alive they are warm to the touch and make an excellent host for the virus, and while they will not be harmed by it because of their use of chi to regenerate they can pass it on to others.
So even in the case of that one setting there are different answers to the questions.

[NightLotus]

that last comment makes sense.
but it just doesn't seem like a vampire would have the immune system to fend off an immunity deficiency virus

this this this this this
also: if the type of vampire you are talking about can heal instantly, then they should just get over it! ^^

[TomtheFanboy]

Well there's a good question to ask before you can answer the AIDS question.

Does the vampire have an immune system?

A Masquerade vampire does but it is non functional. The magical regenerative properties of the blood are what seals his wounds and regrows limbs and keeps his body from rotting as he slumbers. However since the structure of the immune system is there the AIDS virus can swim inside and dry hump the hell out of the vampire's cells without anything changing. When the vampire feeds there's a chance of the virus sneaking back out into his victim's blood.

On Buffy the Vampire Slayer vampires are a sort of half breed demon inhabiting a human body. The body is frail and can be injured greatly but still recover given enough time. They don't go into it much in the show but the demonic force inside the vampires destroys such viruses, though they'd rather not drink infected blood because of the taste.

[xcthulhux]

well vampires must have SOME kind of immune system.
if they didn't then virus's would effect them MORE wouldn't they?

[TomtheFanboy]

One thing that has come up with Masquerade vampires, who can carry diseases but not be hurt by them, is that their magical blood regenerates them when they're hurt, but since the disease doesn't hurt them, the magic in the blood doesn't fight the disease. So the viruses just hang out in the magic blood. Now the thing is if the vampire realized that he'd been transferring nasty diseases then they could purge themselves in a sort of stamina based meditation where they "boil" the blood in their veins. It's a hard process that most don't know how to do.

Most don't get the chance though since other vampires that notice you're spreading AIDS among the herd usually kill you before you know what's going on.

[TomtheFanboy]

Really depends on what virus you're talking about. AIDS goes after the immune system's cells yeah? then you get something like pneumonia and THAT'S what kills you. Say a virus went after the cell's in a vampires eyes. That's something the vampire uses to see so he'll notice it for sure and definitely WANT it to stop.
Most vampires out there will sort of squint and will the blood to regrow the eyeballs and all the damaged cells. Alternately the vampire eyeballs cells could just sit there unaffected while a virus pokes and pokes and pokes at them without anything happening. the cells could just be super strong and unpiercable.

[xcthulhux]

Most don't get the chance though since other vampires that notice you're spreading AIDS among the herd usually kill you before you know what's going on.

This doesn't change the fact that they did in fact get aids.

I have decided upon a theory that vampires were created originally from somebody who gained every disease in the world, and realized that the only way to keep him from dying was to drink the blood of the ones who weren't dead, or infected. This would infect, or kill everyone he/she drank from, thus spreading the virus.

We need to write a book/movie/manga/anime/rpg/2df/fps/g2g/brb/lol/r2d2 about this

[TomtheFanboy]

Most don't get the chance though since other vampires that notice you're spreading AIDS among the herd usually kill you before you know what's going on.

This doesn't change the fact that they did in fact get aids.

Did you just say "fact"?

And I already said that masquerade vampires can carry some diseases without being effected by them. Yes he "got" AIDS but it didn't do anything to him. Does a syringe with infected blood in it "get" whatever disease is in the blood?

You need to clarify your question in order to get the appropriate answer.

And we still need to decide if we are counting HIV as part of this or if you just mean the active "you're gonna die now" AIDS. That would help.

[xcthulhux]

Most don't get the chance though since other vampires that notice you're spreading AIDS among the herd usually kill you before you know what's going on.

This doesn't change the fact that they did in fact get aids.

Did you just say "fact"?

And I already said that masquerade vampires can carry some diseases without being effected by them. Yes he "got" AIDS but it didn't do anything to him. Does a syringe with infected blood in it "get" whatever disease is in the blood?

You need to clarify your question in order to get the appropriate answer.

And we still need to decide if we are counting HIV as part of this or if you just mean the active "you're gonna die now" AIDS. That would help.

hiv counts

[TomtheFanboy]

hiv counts

OK, so getting HIV is a lot easier than getting AIDS because it's just there, hanging out with your cells like the scary guy on the subway who you're sure has killed before and will kill again, you just hope he won't today.

I think it's more likely for a vampire to carry HIV than it is for a vampire to actually have full blown AIDS.
Like an animal can spread disease without being infected by it. The virus can survive in their blood for a time but it cannot reproduce there.

[leonmasteries]

I can only answer how it was answered in the world of darkness. The way it worked is that once you become a vampire, you are immune to all ailments that would have affected you as a human, and as such, you do not obtain any ailments through blood. I believe the reason that happened was because the vampiric gene that was fused with your blood kills all virus' from then on... But if you had it before you were a vampire, you have it afterward, and as such, have the ability to pass it on, even tho it wont affect you.

[MiriaRose]

I think it's more likely for a vampire to carry HIV than it is for a vampire to actually have full blown AIDS.[/quote]
This.

I'd figure they can get the virus, but they won't get AIDS.

[Konan-ChanX3]

I think they can get it, but not be effected by it. If were effected by it, then Louis and Claudia wouldn't be around.

i think that they could probably get it, and be effected by it, but not die from it.

Hmm, and interesting concept. However I think that if they did get AIDS the disease wouldn't last very long in them. Remember AIDS is a virus and viruses need a warm living body in order to survive. So from a scientific standpoint it seems to me that since nosferatu are prectically dead that while they copuld get the virus it would probably die off pretty quickly in the vampire's undead body. That's my hypothesis on the matter.

This makes perfect sense, but you have to remember that they ARE in fact alive.
Vampires don't ever actually die. They come very close to death, but in a way its like its catching them before they hit the ground. Maybe the vampires are actually created from there own virus.

Both very good points. And if they were effected by it, then Anne certainly made no note of it being so.

[xcthulhux]

I think they can get it, but not be effected by it. If were effected by it, then Louis and Claudia wouldn't be around.

i think that they could probably get it, and be effected by it, but not die from it.

Hmm, and interesting concept. However I think that if they did get AIDS the disease wouldn't last very long in them. Remember AIDS is a virus and viruses need a warm living body in order to survive. So from a scientific standpoint it seems to me that since nosferatu are prectically dead that while they copuld get the virus it would probably die off pretty quickly in the vampire's undead body. That's my hypothesis on the matter.

This makes perfect sense, but you have to remember that they ARE in fact alive.
Vampires don't ever actually die. They come very close to death, but in a way its like its catching them before they hit the ground. Maybe the vampires are actually created from there own virus.

Both very good points. And if they were effected by it, then Anne certainly made no note of it being so.

this was exactly my point, but with the plague, not aids.

HIV would infect vampires, but bringing back the theory that vampires have no immune system, that would mean that the virus would die.

So, if a vampire did carry HIV, they wouldn't carry it for very long.

[TomtheFanboy]

I can only answer how it was answered in the world of darkness. The way it worked is that once you become a vampire, you are immune to all ailments that would have affected you as a human, and as such, you do not obtain any ailments through blood. I believe the reason that happened was because the vampiric gene that was fused with your blood kills all virus' from then on... But if you had it before you were a vampire, you have it afterward, and as such, have the ability to pass it on, even tho it wont affect you.

Are you atlking about Vampire the Masquerade or Vampire the Requiem?
Masquerade does not have a vampire gene. They specifically have the disease carrier flaw which allows you pass certain pathogens on to those you feed upon or those who drink your blood.
For those of you unfamiliar with the games, my examples above were citing information from Masquerade.

[xcthulhux]

So, as a definite, we can all agree that vampires are different in all series, games, etc.
And that some may or may not be able to get aids, and be effected by it.

[leonmasteries]

Ya, I was talking about Masquerade, and I couldn't really think of any other way to call it besides gene, because each kindred is different. But as put, it is a curse. But from the games I've played, I learned they cannot obtain a virus once a kindred, because there's something with the blood they have that pretty much makes it null in void or something like that. But the other thing is that certain kindred use their own blood to affect others (Tremere and Assamite's) to where they pretty much implant their blood into other beings, but don't pass on any virus unless they did have the flaw disease carrier.

[leonmasteries]

So, as a definite, we can all agree that vampires are different in all series, games, etc.
And that some may or may not be able to get aids, and be effected by it.

ya, I it does all depend on what version you run off of, and which one you were thinking of.

[xcthulhux]

So, as a definite, we can all agree that vampires are different in all series, games, etc.
And that some may or may not be able to get aids, and be effected by it.

ya, I it does all depend on what version you run off of, and which one you were thinking of.

was kind of doing a toss up of Anne Rice's vampires, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and random other vampires that i could think of.
i then created my own story >.>

[leonmasteries]

So, as a definite, we can all agree that vampires are different in all series, games, etc.
And that some may or may not be able to get aids, and be effected by it.

ya, I it does all depend on what version you run off of, and which one you were thinking of.

was kind of doing a toss up of Anne Rice's vampires, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and random other vampires that i could think of.
i then created my own story >.>

nice, it is something that one must think of and figure out. Because 1) your dealing with a virus that transfers through blood and bodily fluids, no if's and's or but's about that and 2) a being that cannot die to begin with, so the immune system isn't of any use any way. But good job for making us think about it.

[TomtheFanboy]

So, as a definite, we can all agree that vampires are different in all series, games, etc.
And that some may or may not be able to get aids, and be effected by it.

My official answer is "Pretty much."  

[jaybug]

But I bet that they could be carriers/vectors of many diseases. HIV being one. In that vein they could be like mosquitoes and transmit malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, maybe even bubonic plague, and perhaps the more dangerous variant, pneumonic plague, Ebola virus, Hanta virus etc.

And Alan Moore's Swamp Thing back in the 80s theorized vampires being of an anaerobic nature, so that would add other diseases to the list, and just general virulent infections such as smallpox, diptheria, cholera, elephantiasis, staphloccocus Aureus, and other staph infections, and there is a whole host of blood borne pathogens that include hemorraghic (sic) fever. Some literally break the blood cells, which may make digestion easier.

Did you ever think that maybe vampires are perpetually constipated? Blood in the stolld make them very hard, and difficult to pass.

[superjaz]

In the sookie stackhouse books, (what true blood is based off of) aids doesn't effect vampires, but there is a seprate illness called sino-aids that weakens a vampire for a month and can possible kill them if exosed enough, I don't think the vampire blood would be enought to cure aids in a person because I think amount it would take would turn them into a vampire 

on a another vampire work, christopher pikes last vampire serises, the vampire blood cured a character of aids, but that was a very mystical vampire story where the main vampire could stand sun light and eat food  (tho not all could)

[kylite]

This is one MORBID thread

[xcthulhux]

This is one MORBID thread

thats what im here for 

[leonmasteries]

HURRAY for morbid situations, that's what makes a great plot line in an anime... I mean, look at FMA, full of morbid plot lines, and that show was amazing.

[jaybug]

I guess Michael Morbius from Spider-Man could get AIDS/HIV. Maybe he did already, haven't seen him around since the 80s. Maybe he got to the Village People.

[Griff_the_dragoon]

Idk this is a good question JT
It say no because they are so BA that thier ammune system can kill AIDS/HIV
Now only if we could catch one and save africa
then we would be the riches bastard on the face of the earth

[xcthulhux]

Idk this is a good question JT
It say no because they are so BA that thier ammune system can kill AIDS/HIV
Now only if we could catch one and save africa
then we would be the riches bastard on the face of the earth

this is a good plan.

Griff, we are starting a company.

[Griff_the_dragoon]

ok you find a vampire that is not one from twilight and we will be good to go

[xcthulhux]

ok you find a vampire that is not one from twilight and we will be good to go

already workin on it.

[leonmasteries]

ok you find a vampire that is not one from twilight and we will be good to go

those aren't vampires, their albinos with a weird skin condition and they can only drink blood.

[Griff_the_dragoon]

ok you find a vampire that is not one from twilight and we will be good to go

those aren't vampires, their albinos with a weird skin condition that can only drink blood.

no they are duchbags all hiding in trees stalking little girls like pedobear

[xcthulhux]

ok you find a vampire that is not one from twilight and we will be good to go

those aren't vampires, their albinos with a weird skin condition that can only drink blood.

there skin condition can only drink blood eh?
thats strange, i wasn't aware that a condition could drink anything.

[leonmasteries]

ok you find a vampire that is not one from twilight and we will be good to go

those aren't vampires, their albinos with a weird skin condition that can only drink blood.

no they are duchbags all hiding in trees stalking little girls like pedobear

that to... Let's not forget how the series causes things from idiocy to ulcers, to the ultimate fate, death.

[Griff_the_dragoon]

well it can jt it is the craziest **** i have ever seen lol

[leonmasteries]

ok you find a vampire that is not one from twilight and we will be good to go

those aren't vampires, their albinos with a weird skin condition that can only drink blood.

there skin condition can only drink blood eh?
thats strange, i wasn't aware that a condition could drink anything.

fixed it.

[TomtheFanboy]

I heard in book five they are revealed to be alien cyborgs that sparkle because of their diamond mesh sub-dermal armor.

I seriously heard this from a non-fan who read all the books. Something tells me not to believe him though.

[NightLotus]

that might actually make the books somehow acceptable... i say it isn't true

[TomtheFanboy]

I guess Michael Morbius from Spider-Man could get AIDS/HIV. Maybe he did already, haven't seen him around since the 80s. Maybe he got to the Village People.

Morbius was in the 90s spiderman cartoon for when Blade showed up.
Recently he was the hero of Marvel Zombies 4.

I would have to re-read it but I have a feeling that he cannot get AIDS.

[xcthulhux]

that might actually make the books somehow acceptable... i say it isn't true

this is what i am thinking.
i was like "that makes the idea actually kind of cool"

I still refuse to touch them with bare hands.

[NARUNIK]

Edward needs to get all kinds of STD's..
And then Bella would get them and crap and then THE BOOK ENDS..

[leonmasteries]

Edward needs to get all kinds of STD's..
And then Bella would get them and crap and then THE BOOK ENDS..

YES, I'm glad other people agree, but I think STD's are to good for them.... They need to die in a much worse way.

[leonmasteries]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZOWkkm6tP4&feature=related

here's something that could bring up some thought, even tho it's idiotic.