Hello, CFE Blog readers. The Mütter Museum is excited to celebrate the 125 anniversary of the release of one of the most influential works in horror fiction: Bram Stoker's Dracula. This article is the first in what will be a series of materials we will be sharing throughout the year that will address the ways the legendary vampire story intersects with health and medicine, past and present.
Without further ado, I turn things over to Museum Specialist Marcy Engleman, who offers her insights into real-life vampires.
Vampires have been the subject of many books, tv shows and movies. They scare us, yet we are fascinated by them. However, did you know, vampires are real? Well, not human ones; instead, some members of the animal kingdom have adapted to the lifestyle of a sanguivore.
Mosquitos
The mosquito, as tiny as it is, has proven to be the deadliest vampire to humans, able to transmit malaria, West Nile, yellow fever, and many other diseases. In 2010, there were approximately 219 million malaria cases worldwide and 660,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. There are more than 2,700 species of mosquito, and all consume water and nectar, but only the females drink blood. The females need the protein found in blood to produce their eggs. These mosquitos inject their proboscis, or long nose, into the skin of their prey, and inject their saliva into the wound. This saliva contains an anticoagulant to prevent the blood from clotting; the host’s body often reacts negatively to their saliva, registering it as an allergen, secreting histamine and causing an itch.
Ticks
Another dangerous vampire is the tick. Ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, African tick bite fever, and others. Ticks find hosts by detecting animals’ breath and body odors, or sensing body heat, moisture and vibrations. They wait for a host by resting on the tips of grasses and shrubs with their first pair of legs outstretched. Once an animal or human goes by, brushing against the grass, the ticks grab a hold and climb on board. Similar to mosquitoes, ticks insert their feeding tube and secrete some saliva, which acts as an anesthetic, so the host can’t feel the bite. If the host animal has a blood borne infection, the tick will ingest the pathogens along with the blood. If the tick has a pathogen, it may be transmitted to the host as the saliva is secreted.
Vampire Bats
Of course, the main vampire we all think of is the vampire bat. After all, didn’t Dracula turn into a bat? Except vampire bats don’t suck blood from their prey’s necks. At night, the bats fly out in search of prey, which is usually livestock, like cattle and pigs. The bats land on the ground and crawl up to the leg of the large animal, and use their tiny razor sharp incisors to make a tiny incision in the animal’s skin. Their saliva contains an anticoagulant called “draculin” which prevents the blood from clotting. They then lap up the blood with their grooved tongue as it flows from the cut. After drinking a teaspoon or two of blood, sometimes the bat is too heavy to fly away! They have a rapid digestive system that allows them to quickly process the blood, so within 2 hours of a meal, they are able to fly back to their roost to continue digesting their meal. Vampire bats very rarely bite humans.
Vampire Finch
Our final hematophagous animal to be explored in this blog is the vampire finch. This bird, found in the Galapagos Islands, feeds on blood along with its normal diet of seeds, nectar and eggs. The finch pecks at the feathers of the blue-footed booby (another bird) until it bleeds, then takes in the blood. Other finches often line up to take their turn at the feast. Only one finch will feed at a time, so as not to disturb the booby and make it fly away.
So, as we celebrate the 125 anniversary of the publication of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, consider some of these blood-sucking animals that may have served as inspiration!
Thanks, Marcy, for another informative article! If you're still thirsty for vampire-related content, be sure to