Story / Pyogenes and the Ancient Vampirism

Pyogenes and the Ancient Vampirism

Pyogenes and the Vampire myth

The appearance of a dual puncture, bite- or fang-like marks on my neck and other symptoms and the Pyogenes's susceptibility to garlic led me to hypothesize, in 2021, that particularly symptomatic Pyogenes strains were the inspiration for folklore that evolved into the myth of vampirism. 

In 2024, I met a Matthew who described having had an antibiotic-resistant infection that caused a lesion in his neck that also featured a dual puncture.  One on the lymphatic system's main tasks is to carry wastes and infection away from sensitive organs to where it can be assimilated or expelled.  If infection builds up faster than the lymphatic system can expel it, a lesion may form whereby a lymph node can excrete the excess infection. The main lymph node in the neck may be a common site for such lesions which may also commonly produce the dual-puncture pattern, perhaps due to the shape of the node. Perhaps these commonalities were observed hundreds of years ago in those afflicted with the strange and frightening advanced Pyogenes symptoms then called vampirism and it was assumed they had been bitten and infected, perhaps by another vampire.

The Pyogenes's susceptibility to garlic might also have been noted and incorporated by Carrie-Paulsen-like good witches in eastern Europe in to lore meant to inform herbal remedies. Garlic has long been used symbolically as a ward against evil spirits and in medicines in many cultures.

The peptidoglycans and their underlying Pyogenes growing on or near the surface of the skin are susceptible UV. When damaged or attacked, the Pyogenes can release very toxic acid and antigens.  This can irritate the skin and impel a severely infected person to avoid the sun and perhaps become nocturnal.

Many animals have parasites that have found means of manipulating that animal's behavior to benefit the parasite.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavior-altering_parasite The behavior induced usually manipulates the host in a way that helps spread the parasite. Pyogenes, may have evolved behavior-altering abilities. I suspect Alzheimer's is  behavior-alteration by Pyogenes in its persistent, multicellular form.  Pyogenes can be spread through open sores or orifices, forceful physical contact and sex.  Much research needed on this premise.

 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/hypersexuality-in-dementia/E2CFB1E9F2791BBCAE15F9580388BD19

 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8985046/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3907317/

If the amyloid-plaque-assisted damage from Alzheimer's is random then why the consistency in its behavioral symptoms? Is that consistency due to Pyogenes effecting host behavior in a way that transmits it? Does the Alzheimer's caused by Pyogenes specifically target the parts of the brain that effect that behavior?

Perhaps the myth of vampires biting was an observation of extreme Pyogenes infections in which the host was compelled to spread their Pyogenes by attacking prospective hosts. An extreme infection or Alzheimer's case can effectively lobotomize a host until they are essentially zombies with little ability or inclination to do anything except perhaps obey the Pyogenes' instructions to attack people and spread it.  So Pyogenes may have contributed to the zombie myth.

Initial draft posted 10/31/2024,

Happy Hallows’ Eve