Bacterial Vampirism: Some Foodborne Bacteria Have Taste for Human Blood, Researchers Found in New Study

Vampire bacteria may seem to be in the realm of fiction, along with stories of blood-sucking undead that prey on the living. However, scientists in the United States recently found that there are microorganisms that resemble the fabled "Dracula" and its infamous vampire minions.

A new study revealed earlier this week that some foodborne bacteria possess a trait, called bacterial vampirism.

Researchers found some of the world's deadliest bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli enter the human's bloodstream, where it causes life-threatening blood infections and sepsis; the latter referring to bacterial blood poisoning.

This means some bacterium actively seeks out human blood where it detects serum, the fluid part and solvent component of our blood, as per the new discovery.

Bacterial Vampirism

The word "vampire" pertains to a mythological creature that nourishes itself by feeding on the blood of the living. The term has its roots dating back hundreds and thousands of years ago both from modern and ancient societies, including the Greek civilization.

Today, the vampiric characteristic has been used to describe animals such as the vampire bat and plants like the parasitic plant Cuscuta.

Now, evidence suggests that vampirism also exists in smaller life forms such as bacteria. In a new research paper published in the journal eLife on Tuesday, April 16, scientists from Washington State University and other institutions found the existence of vampire bacteria or the trait bacterial vampirism such as Salmonella enterica serovars, Escherichia coli, and Citrobacter koseri.

Also Read: India Faces Antibiotic-Resistant 'Superbug Infections'

Vampire Bacteria

According to authors of the paper, the trajectory of these bacteria towards the human bloodstream (where they can enter through intestinal bleeding) is no accident. Instead, the Washington State University suggests that these pathogens actively search and consume human blood.

The study answers previous scientific inquiries as to why bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae, associated with gastrointestinal bleeding and bacteremia, are prone to bloodstream entry.

In light of the recent study, scientists could understand the notion that some bacteria blood infections are not coincidental at all.

Bacteria Blood Infection Deaths

In recent years, bacterial blood infections or sepsis have claimed the lives of millions of people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The most common symptoms of the lethal medical condition include fever, difficulty in breathing, and extreme body pain.

In July 2023, the WHO reported that a recent scientific publication showed there were 48.9 million cases of sepsis and 11 million related deaths worldwide back in 2017. During this period, 50% of all the global sepsis cases involved children.

If not fatal, sepsis can lead to degrading conditions. One such case involved sepsis survivor Tom Ray, who lost his arms, legs, and the lower part of his face during a sepsis infection back in 1999, when he was 38 years old. The WHO emphasizes older persons, pregnant women, and hospitalized patients are among the vulnerable populations from sepsis or weaker yet related infections.