Vampire Virus

The , also known as the Strigoi Retrovirus, Vampire Plague, or Vampirism, is a vicious and highly evolved virus. It is the virus that turns its hosts into Vampires.The Vampire Virus is spread through blood ingestion, injection or transfusion. If a Vampire feeds a human victim infected blood  they will be infected by the Vampire Virus. The virus has an incubation time of five days but the first part of the transformation being complete in 2 weeks,with all the physical changes taking about 5 months. During that time, the victim will begin to become dazed and faint, and sensitive to light, and mild flu like symptoms as the virus alters there DNA

When the conversion process is complete, the victim will be a Vampire. From this point onwards, the victim's body will stop physically aging and will be extremely sensitive to UV radiation. The victim's lateral incisor teeth will also become retractable fangs, and the only thing edible to them will be human or animal blood.

Characteristics
Vampires, the infected hosts of the Vampire Virus, become unable to consume anything other than the blood of humans or animals. One of the most beneficial mutations that the virus grants is a new specialized tumor like organ on the inside of the stomach that allows the vampire to absorb the blood they drink which then is transported to the circulatory system.It also secretes enzymes that prevent blood from curdling which is what happens to humans in human biology. Through this method they give themselves transfusions just by ingesting blood.They also become severely photosensitive, and their lateral incisors become fangs for feeding off victims. When a Vampire smells blood or is aggravated, their fangs will extend involuntarily. Also, when the virus is converting an infected host into a Vampire, it eliminates the genome that causes lifeforms to age and die. Thus, when the infected host finishes becoming a Vampire, they will stop physically aging and their body will stay the exact same age it was when they became a Vampire.

The Vampire Virus also gives Vampires slight increases in levels of strength, speed and endurance, a single feeding can keep a vampire satisfied for a week or so before it needs to feed again. Also, if any of a Vampire's organs, except for the brain or the heart, sustain damage that would be fatal to humans, the Vampire will simply rest somewhere safe until the damage heals. Vampirism is part of a group of viruses called retroviruses which alter cellular DNA and thus the host's genetic makeup. The virus adds mini chromosomes called plasmids to the infected cells that adapt the DNA instead of changing it completely. For this reason, the body's immune system is partly fooled into believing that the altered cells are still normal and thus less aggressive in their removal giving the virus more time to spread and take over the body.The Virus uses the "budding" method of reproduction new virus particles emerging from the cell membrane without destroying it. Changes to the cells allow the virus a symbiotic relationship with the host's cells allowing them to meet their own needs while also producing new virus progeny. Although the vampire virus is present throughout the body, the only fluid in the body that carries a large enough viral load to cause an infection is the blood which is why if a vampire wants to infect someone with the disease they either have to make them drink vampire blood or inject them with it.The vampire virus is capable of infecting and altering every cell in the body that has a nucleus for it's own ends making it one of the most complex viruses known.

Treatment and Immunity
There is no cure for Vampirism. only death. Their were efforts to create a vaccine back in the nineteen sixties but the effort was abandoned. Humans are the only species that can contract Vampirism and become vampires suggesting that the Strigoi Retrovirus most likely evolved with humans.