¿Vampirism or porphyria? Clarifying the enigma

Abstract

Introduction: Vampirism is the behavior of a person who acts like a vampire. Vampires are not real beings, but for two centuries there have been countless medical studies carried out to provide a causal and pathogenic response to the phenomenon. The exact disease that causes most of these vampiric alterations is porphyria.
Objective: To describe the relationship between the classic signs and symptoms of the porphyric patient and the appearance and lifestyle of the mythical vampire.
Method: A literature review was carried out during the period from August 1 to 20, 2023. Articles published in the last 5 years in Spanish and English were included and repeated or incomplete articles were excluded. The ScieELO, Medigraphic, and PubMed databases were reviewed. The search terms included Vampirism, Vampirism in Medicine, Porphyria, as well as their translation into English.
Development: The association between vampirism and porphyria is probably the most famous. Erythropoietic congenital porphyria is the one associated with vampirism. It causes hypersensitivity to light and chronic hemolytic anemia. The similarities between the impressive description of the vampire's anatomy and the physical appearance of porphyria sufferers are more than evident.
Conclusions: Many diseases have been proposed as an explanation for the appearance and behavior of this enigmatic character, with porphyria being the most accurate. Photosensitivity, pale skin, erythroderma and dark clothing are distinctive features of the “bloodsucking monsters” and are consistent with the clinical expression of the aforementioned disease.