Anaemia is a disease of the blood in which the red-cell count is extremely low. The symptoms of anaemia include a pale complexion, fatigue, fainting spells, shortness of breath and digestive disorders - all indications of an inadequate oxygen supply (red blood cells transport oxygen throughout the body).

To a society gripped by the ever-present fear of vampires lurking in the shadows, the sight of a severely anaemic person was a sure sign that they were a vampire victim who was in the process of turning into.