Illnesses

[Shadow_in_the_Moonlight]

Okay I know that there are some illnesses that humans are able to contrct but not wolves, and vice versa, but what about weres? woul they be vulnerable to both human diseases and lupine ones or just the ones that are possible among both species? and how would they go about getting rid of it? wouldn't normal could medicines be potentially unaffected due to the changes in the weres biochemistry. how fast would the disease work through, considering the metabolisk of both wolves and humans, and, of course, the weres?

[ShadowFang]

Good question. I would suggest that they would be able to contract both lupine and human diseases. However, their resistance to those diseases would be much greater than their lupine and human counterparts since wolves don't catch human illnesses and vise versa.

[Shadow_in_the_Moonlight]

i thought so but what about viruses, like A.I.D.s/HIV, which is a human specific virus? would the genetic alteration give the were a natural resistance, like that which is found among most all animals, including the wolf? oh creepy thought... what would happen if a were got rabies?

[RedEye]

Most stories that don't kill off the Werewolf at the end seem to indicate that Were's are pretty well immune to most diseases. Said immunity comes from their extra fast healing capacity.

In my own stories, they are immune to most diseases except the Common Cold (which isn't a disease)* and a few diseases that are mutually capable of infecting Wolves and Humans (they're out there).

Were's are so generally robust that sickness rarely seems to appear in the stories about them.

*Oddly enough, the Common Cold is the body's reaction to an infection by one of many Rhinoviruses. This reaction frequently depresses the immune system to the point that more dangreous diseases find entry and cause things like Pneumonia and Bronchitis.

[Shadow_in_the_Moonlight]

interesting... and what about cancers and std's? i mean they can't be indestructable... that would be unnatural... lol ... then again a werewolf isnt exactly what some would call natural. suprisingly... i am out of questions.

[Apokryltaros]

In my own stories, they are immune to most diseases except the Common Cold (which isn't a disease)* and a few diseases that are mutually capable of infecting Wolves and Humans (they're out there).
...
*Oddly enough, the Common Cold is the body's reaction to an infection by one of many Rhinoviruses. This reaction frequently depresses the immune system to the point that more dangreous diseases find entry and cause things like Pneumonia and Bronchitis.

Common Cold is a disease caused by any of the various rhinoviruses.
Do remember that a viral disease is always caused by an infection.
Saying that the Common Cold isn't a disease is like saying that a Grilled Cheese Sandwich isn't a sandwich.

[Fullmoonstar]

In my opinion the Werewolf would be immune to the most Wolf- and Humandiseases cause He/she would have both antibodies...the wolfish and human ones. Of cause they are not resistent to everything but their immune system would be much stronger than the immune system of a Human or a Wolf...Nevertheless i think there are diseases like cancer, for example that both species could get. So the Were would get these "special Illnesses" just like a normal Human or a normal Wolf...

[Apokryltaros]

I would think that a werewolf would be vulnerable to diseases caused by a malfunctioning immune system, particularly when it works too hard and starts causing tissue damage.

[RedEye]

There is a disease that can affect both Wolf and Man: Mange. Since it's caused by a parasite, the Wulf's immune system wouldn't cure it.

I had a dog with mange, and the treatment was herioc: coating the poor animal with a vile smelling medicine for two weeks. Had to use long gloves and shower after treating him, lest I catch it too. Not fun for either of us.

Which begs a point: There are a host of parasites that consider Man as tasty as a Wolf. Since they are usually external to the body envelope (aka. skin) all the healing and immunity in the world wouldn't help.

What a sad sight: A Mangy Werewolf... (tie that to the Shifting during sex thread, and... )

[Apokryltaros]

Mange has a variety of causes: it can be mites, fleas, or fungus.

Also, do realize that only ectoparasites are unaffected by the immune system, and that's only because they live on the surface of the skin, beyond the reach of white blood cells. If parasites were unaffected by the immune system, we would all be dead from worms a long long time ago.

[RedEye]

In the dog's case, it was mites. And most ectoparasites ( according to the vet) don't care where they live, so long as they can get to their food source; hence the decontamination after each treatment.
Poor dog was miserable...

[Apokryltaros]

The dog should be thankful that it wasn't the mite that causes subcutaneous acariasis, a fatal skin disease in humans whose symptoms include chicken-egg-sized boils filled with mites.

[Terastas]

We've had discussions about this before, and the argument that keeps coming up is that, since werewolves are generally attributed to have enhanced regeneration, they would be more resilient to human and canine diseases alike.

The only exception would be cancer, which is a mutation as opposed to a disease, so we were pretty much equally divided as to whether lycanthropy would combat it or make it worse.

[Apokryltaros]

It would have to depend on what kind of cancer...
Some kinds, such as tumors, would not affect werewolves too much, as the majority of tumor cancer cells are recognized as being "non-self."

With cancers such as lymphatic cancers, like leukemia, I'm not sure what would happen, as, in cancers like leukemia, the bone marrow produces lots and lots of immature white blood cells that are not only non-functional and don't aid with immune reactions, but also take up precious space that could otherwise be occupied with functional, adult white blood cells, or red blood cells.
I'm unsure on how a hyper-regeneration and immune system would react to that.

[Shadow_in_the_Moonlight]

now going of the idea that a werewolf is niether a human with the ability to become wolf or the other way aroung, but is instead something entirely differant, then myabe they are immune to all except some kind of wierd viruses?(sorry been watching "invasion" commercials)

completely off topic hey red eye I really like the new siggie!

[Apokryltaros]

One would have to know or have a good idea of what the virus does, first.

[RedEye]

In the case of "Invasion" it seems to turn normal people into bad actors.
Nasty Virus, that.

[Apokryltaros]

In the case of "Invasion" it seems to turn normal people into bad actors.
Nasty Virus, that.

Then an infected werewolf should be put out of his/her/its mortal agony with extreme prejudice, from either a sawed-off shotgun or a Howitzer, preferably a Howitzer, immediately.

[Scott Gardener]

There's so many different kinds of diseases out there that I'd have to write a whole textbook to cover it. (Medical Lycanthropology, First Edition. My colleagues already give me strange looks.) Some basic thoughts:

Canines don't generally get clogged arteries, so strokes and heart attacks would be rare in long-time lycanthropes. But, someone newly bitten who already has clogged arteries could embolize some of those fat globs or chunks of calcium bits, so older or less physically fit people would be at greater risk of sudden death in the initial infection process before or during the first shift.

Cancer is a catch-all term for a class of diseases in which the normal DNA of the body gets screwed up. (Cancers tend to spread by blood flow or lymphatics, which struck me as how lycanthropy would also spread through the body. Just a side note.) The body prevents most cancers from developing by a series of fail-safes. Since lycanthropy modifies DNA, the chances of creating errors of DNA is substantially increased. Because of this, additional fail-safes would be neccessary. But, the regenerative capabilities neccessary for lycanthropy to work would imply some of these fail-safes. Bottom line: werewolves are more likely to get cancer in early stages, but are less likely than non-lycanthropes to die from it.

Autoimmune diseases (like the coincidentally named lupus) happen when the immune system is mis-conditioned and attacks the body itself. Lycanthropes would need their immune system reconditioned during the initial infection process so as not to attack itself while harboring all the new canine and shapeshifting molecular makeup. Incidence could be more or less, depending on the skill of whoever made lycanthropy. If it were naturally occurring randomness, then lycanthropy might not be so fun a thing afterall.

Injuries and chronic pain: I think a lot of people would love to get bitten by werewolves even if they had no interest what-so-ever in being wolves or prancing about in Gestalt form at secret, underground conventions held in the woods. But, someone bitten by a werewolf while sporting orthopedic implants such as a spinal fusion would have an impending surgical emergency, as the parts would, depending on how they were put in, either come out or would crush the spinal cord with every shift, making a previously bad problem even worse.

Diabetes: there's two kinds of diabetes--Type I, in which as a kid your pancreatic insulin-producing cells are lost, and you have to have insulin shots regularly to stay alive, and Type II, in which your body becomes resistant to insulin. The former might be fixed by lycanthropic regeneration. The latter probably would be fixed as well. Type II diabetes is largely a disorder of lifestyle, particularly obesity. Which brings up the next point...

Obesity: another reason why people will want to get bit even if they aren't into the furry part. There's a huge cultural incentive, particularly on women, to look a certain way. Since wolves weigh 85-115 pounds typically, it's hard to picture a werewolf having a 250-300 pound human form. Even if your version of lycanthropy doesn't care about the laws of thermodynamics and conservation of mass, most of us like our werewolves to look physically fit and buff, so as plot devices, most of our werewolves either get the weight off or swap out for muscle mass. That in and of itself fixes a lot of other problems, ranging from obstructive sleep apnea to being able to fix into those tiny little seats in the new sports arenas.

Wearing glasses: Sorry to discourage anyone who wants lycanthropy as a substitute for Lasik; werewolves might actually have worse vision. At the very least, it won't improve anything. But, a werewolf in Gestalt form might find one's self relying on vision less and more on other senses, now that smelling does more than simply conjure up pleasant nostalgic memory when baking a pie. Still, not a good idea to drive while shifted.

Blindness, hearing impairment: These might get fixed, depending upon how one envisions the regenerative capability to work.

[Terastas]

Wearing glasses: Sorry to discourage anyone who wants lycanthropy as a substitute for Lasik; werewolves might actually have worse vision. At the very least, it won't improve anything. But, a werewolf in Gestalt form might find one's self relying on vision less and more on other senses, now that smelling does more than simply conjure up pleasant nostalgic memory when baking a pie. Still, not a good idea to drive while shifted.

This is the one and only thing I would disagree with. I agree that a gestalt's vision wouldn't necessarily be better, but whether or not lycanthropic regeneration could be used to correct vision, I think, would depend more or less on why the person's vision is faulty in the first place. I don't think it would repair hereditary conditions, but acquired or prolonged damage I think could gradually be repaired.

Other than that, you've pretty much covered all the bases I could think of.

[Xiroteus]

Depends on who is writing the story, I would have them immune to any illness.

[punxnotdead]

I believe weres' wouldn't get illnesses since being both human and wolf, they cannot contrapt one anothers' diseases; just my input.

[Absolute Wolf]

After my believes, werewolves could get ill,yet not from viruses that affect humans or other animals. They would probably have their own viruses,unknown to us.Though nothing that they wouldn't be able to handle.
They would probably able to handle it having the immune system of both wolf & human.

[RedEye]

There is still the Auto-Immune problem; and with the hyper sort of immune system that Werewolves would seem to have, Allergies could be a real risk.
All an allergy is, as I recall, is an inappropriate immune response to something, be it food or environmental.
The more active the immune system, the more likely one is to develop allergies.
There is the old joke about the Werewolf who is allergic to fur and animal dander (Fur Fever) and spends each full moon gorked out on Benadryl... Can't howl because his nose is running; poor puppy.