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Rabies

A possible explanation for the vampire legend

From the Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital Xeral, Vigo (Galicia), Spain.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Juan Gómez-Alonso, Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Xeral, Pizarro 22, Vigo (Galicia), Spain.

In the 18th century, belief in vampires-allegedly dead persons who left their graves and killed people and animals-raised great concern in the Balkans and an extensive debate in Europe. This historic phenomenon still awaits a comprehensive explanation. This article proposes that rabies may have played a key role in the development of the vampire legend, given the coincident time of the phenomena and the striking similarities between them.

Received January 7, 1998. Accepted in final form April 16, 1998.

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