Vampires are able to create more of their own kind by changing humans into other vampires. This can be accomplished by:
Becoming a vampire is referred to as a disease. A good example would be the Bram Stokers Dracula. When you drink the blood of a vampire, you are infected with the disease. However, this is not a normal or single disease. In fact, vampirism's contagion is due to two completely different micro-organisms being transmitted to the new host: a virus and a bacteria. If both of these are present in a human host, one will become a vampire. If only one is present, the person will not change. Both must be present, for they are symbiotic organisms, and only live and replicate in the presence of each other.
The vampire selects the human he wishes to transform into a vampire. This
human is drained of enough blood to weaken, but not kill him. The human is
then forced to drink the blood of the vampire, which contains both the virus
and the bacteria. The virus has two possible habitats; a human cell, or a
bacterial cell. If it enters the bacterial cell, it will replicate normally,
killing the bacteria and releasing thousands of new viral units. If, however,
it enters a human cell, it is unable to replicate in the human cell.
It instead travels and penetrates the cell nucleus, merging with the humans
DNA contained within the nucleus. This effectively neutralizes the virus.
Then, the human cell reads the viral DNA in the same way it reads its own,
and manufactures the proteins it codes for, which would normally be used to
build the virus' protective capsule, but now simply stays in the cell. This
is the first stage of genetic mutation that eventually leads to vampirism.
The bacteria attempts to live and replicate normally. It is, however, difficult to do because it is necessary for the bacteria to receive certain proteins which neither it nor the human can manufacture. These proteins are the same as those manufactured by the virus. Thus, the bacteria is totally reliant on the virus being present to survive. If the bacteria enters a cell without the virus present, it becomes dormant. If it enters a cell with the virus present however, it will replicate. It will also inject its own DNA into the nucleus. This DNA will merges with the humans DNA, finishing the genetic mutation. Other bacteria will inject portions of DNA into the mitochondria, the sub-cellular structures that provide a cell with its energy. The human cell then undergoes metamorphosis, changing into a vampire cell.
Why then, does the immune system not simply kill the infected cells? There are two reasons for this:
Awakening
Now that the human is infected with the vampiric disease, its body appears
dead and is buried. Eventually the entire body is infected, and eventually it
emerges from the coma. It must first free itself from the coffin and dig its
way through the earth. Since the vampire has super-human strength, this is
fairly easy, especially since it can survive quite some time without oxygen.
Once free, it must find food. With the combination of massive, body-wide
mutation, and having to dig through six feet of dirt without oxygen will have
taken its toll, and only one thing that will cure this: human blood. Its need
for blood can be thought in relation to withdrawal symptoms, causing great
pain and confused thinking. Its instincts will take over, and it will seek
the nearest human, totally draining him/her of blood. If human is not enough,
the vampire will find more until it is satisfied.
One comment raised is that a large volume of blood, which is mostly water,
would be required to sustain it. This, however, is not true. The vampire
drinks the blood, and it enters its stomach. There, the excess water is
quickly absorbed by the stomach lining, and transported, via the salivary
glands, back into the vampires mouth, which will still be firmly locked into
the human's neck. The water is then injected back into the human's body, and
only the blood cells themselves will remain, along with the various minerals,
salts and protein contained within it.
Once the blood is in the stomach and the excess water removed, the cells are quickly broken down by stomach enzymes. This kills the immune cells present within the blood, as well as any bacterial infections the human may have had. The proteins released are then introduced into the bloodstream, broken down and used as food, except the haemoglobin. This has one of two uses; it will be enter the blood cells and used, or it will be broken down, the amino acids used as food, and the iron used to create neurons or repair bones. The iron is the main reason vampires need blood, and is the source of nearly all of their supernatural powers.
Powers
These are the vampire's powers:
In addition to mentioning their powers, it is only proper to mention that the Cainites (Vampires of Old) can walk in the sunlight.
