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2 authors, including:
Jair Garca-Guerrero
Autonomous University of Nuevo Len
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ABSTRACT
Bram Stokers novel Dracula, published in 1897, popularized vampirism and at once the conducts attributed to these figures were recognized. Among them, one of the attributes of vampires is that they suffer photosensibility and photophobia. The inspiration to create the story
of this vampire is in the legend on Vlad Tepes Dracul, who indeed was the prince of Valaquia, a village located in the former Transylvania,
today Romania. It is suspected that prince Vlad suffered an erythropoiethic porphiria, which could be the reason for the development of
certain peculiar characteristics of the vampires. In this essay the clinical characteristics the of the mentioned disease are correlated to
those of a vampire, emphasizing the photosensibility and the photophobia caused by the porphyrins.
Key words: dracula, photophobia, porphiria.
* Universidad de Monterrey,
** Instituto Tecnolgico y de Estudios Superiores de Monte
rrey.
Correspondencia: Dr. Juan Luis Gonzlez Trevio. Centro Mdico
Monterrey 313, Hidalgo 2480 poniente, colonia Obispado, CP
64060. Monterrey, Nuevo Len, Mxico. Tel.: 01 (81) 8151-8473.
Fax 01 (81) 8151-8400 ext. 196.
E-mail: drjuanluisgonzalez@prodigy.net.mx
Este artculo debe citarse como: Gonzlez TJL, Garca GCJ.
Vlad Tepes Dracul, Drcula y la fotofobia. Medicina Universitaria
2008;10(38):47-49.
La versin completa de este artculo tambin est disponible en:
www.revistasmedicasmexicanas.com.mx
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Figura 2. Dibujos de personajes que sufren el castigo del empalamiento, supuestamente ordenado por Vlad Tepes Dracul.
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