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PATHOLOGICAL

BASIS OF VAMPIRISMKevin D. Whaley, MD

Assistant Chief Medical Examiner 

Central District

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CASE EXAMPLE• Family members felt

“weakened” as if they didnot have “any more blood.” 

•

“When we lifted the coffinlid, his arms were not on hischest as we had left thembut at his sides.” 

• “His head was turned to theside and his lips werestained with blood.” 

• Upon opening his chest witha wooden stake, the heartwas “full of fresh blood” andhis body “relaxed” and hewas heard to “sigh.” 

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CRAIOVA, ROMANIA

2009• Imprisoned and charged

with desecration ofcorpse

• Sprinkled garlic

• Impaled heart onpitchfork and burned it ata crossroads

• Dissolved ash and madeelixir 

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ZAROZJE, SERBIA

2012• Public health warning

issued

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FICTION VS. FOLKLORE• Noble heritage

• Tall and thin

• Pale, narrow face

• Prominent canine teeth

• Supine sleeping position

• Rapid aging anddecomposition upon

destruction• Wolves are allies

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FICTION VS. FOLKLORE• Peasant heritage

• Corpulent, bloated

•

Ruddy, congested face• Teeth are not prominent

• Prone resting position

• Must be appropriately

reinterred or disposed offollowing destruction

• Wolves are naturalenemies

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IDENTIFICATION• Murder victims, suicides,

and victims of plague

•

Friends and neighbors dieafter his/her death

• Most likely to be about inwinter 

• Earth above grave is

disturbed

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IDENTIFICATION• Blood at lips

• Lack of decomposition

• Bloated

• Flushed, ruddy face

• Body is warm to touch

• Skin sloughing withsubjacent new skin

• No signs of rigor 

• Nails continue to grow

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IDENTIFICATION• Cannot cross water and

must return to gravebefore dawn

• Found to have beenchewing on extremities

• Wolves and dogs arenatural enemies

• Often groans when killedwithin grave

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EXPLANATION ?• Who becomes a

“vampire?” 

• Plague victims

• Murder victims

• Suicide victims

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EXPLANATION ?• When does “vampirism”

most often?

• Winter 

• Plague

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EXPLANATION ?• Changes in gravesite

• Disruption of soil

• Extremity protrudingfrom grave

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EXPLANATION ?• Aversion to water and

sunlight

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EXPLANATION ?• Appearance of

“vampire” 

• Lack of decomposition

• Change in body position

• Absence of rigor 

• Bloated, ruddyappearance

• “Blood” at lips 

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EXPLANATION ?• Appearance of

“vampire” 

• Nail growth

• Shedding of skin with“new” subjacent layer  

• Chewing of extremities

• Warm to touch

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EXPLANATION ?• Slaying of a “vampire” 

• Groan or sigh at time ofdestruction

• “Fresh blood” fromwound and mouth

• Use of garlic or similar pungent material

• Burial traditions of those

at risk of vampirism

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BUT WHAT ABOUT VAMPIRES

WITNESSED ABOVEGROUND ??

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CLINICAL HYPOTHESES• Porphyria

• Pale with aversion tosunlight

• Facial disfigurementwith red “fangs” 

• Exacerbation ofsymptoms by garlic

• Drinking of blood may

have been a “folk remedy” 

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CLINICAL HYPOTHESES• Tuberculosis

• Hemoptysis

• Conjunctivitis withphotophobia

• Pallor and wasting

• Spread throughoutfamilies

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CLINICAL HYPOTHESES• Rabies