Believe it or not, Already Dead does address that issue. The author uses the device of vampirism being caused by a virus. That virus attacks any blood borne contaminants and kills them. Voila!
Which creates quite the moral dilemma and interesting contrast when Joe Pitt (the vampire) must ponder whether to offer the woman he loves the chance to become a vampire. She suffers from AIDS. One has a virus which keeps him alive which making him other than human. The other suffers a virus which will kill her but she is entirely human.
If we are talking about vampires the fictional creatures, then the answer will of course depend on the fiction in question. In most standard depictions, vampires are immortal, and would presumably be immune to any blood borne disease.
If we're talking about the real life people who call themselves vampires, go around in black, drink blood, live in their parents' basements, etc., then of course contaminated blood is going to be a problem, though depending on the disease drinking infected blood might not be all that risky (still gross, though).
I also think this was addressed on True Blood, the show that was just aired on HBO (one of their worst efforts, by the way, though even a "bad" HBO show can be fairly watchable). If I recall correctly, tainted blood made the vamps sick, but they wouldn't die from it.
BTW, South Park just had an hysterical episode mocking the vampire phenomenon.
My gosh, Julie, You mean somebody recently wrote a vampire novel that actually explores all those compelling life-and-death issues the concept necessarily raises?
Believe it or not, Already Dead does address that issue. The author uses the device of vampirism being caused by a virus. That virus attacks any blood borne contaminants and kills them. Voila!
ReplyDeleteWhich creates quite the moral dilemma and interesting contrast when Joe Pitt (the vampire) must ponder whether to offer the woman he loves the chance to become a vampire. She suffers from AIDS. One has a virus which keeps him alive which making him other than human. The other suffers a virus which will kill her but she is entirely human.
All done in fantastic noir style.
The Blackadder Says:
ReplyDeleteIf we are talking about vampires the fictional creatures, then the answer will of course depend on the fiction in question. In most standard depictions, vampires are immortal, and would presumably be immune to any blood borne disease.
If we're talking about the real life people who call themselves vampires, go around in black, drink blood, live in their parents' basements, etc., then of course contaminated blood is going to be a problem, though depending on the disease drinking infected blood might not be all that risky (still gross, though).
...real life people who call themselves vampires, go around in black, drink blood, live in their parents' basements, etc. ...
ReplyDeleteLOL
I also think this was addressed on True Blood, the show that was just aired on HBO (one of their worst efforts, by the way, though even a "bad" HBO show can be fairly watchable). If I recall correctly, tainted blood made the vamps sick, but they wouldn't die from it.
ReplyDeleteBTW, South Park just had an hysterical episode mocking the vampire phenomenon.
This is hysterical! The same woman (who plays "Bella" in this parody) is also in another Twilight parody called "Dimlight" which is pretty fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI love Twilight, but it's so mockable...
My gosh, Julie,
ReplyDeleteYou mean somebody recently wrote a vampire novel that actually explores all those compelling life-and-death issues the concept necessarily raises?