History Main / DeceasedAndDiseased

* In Creator/GeorgeARomero's ''Film/LivingDeadSeries'', this is why people bitten by zombies always turn into zombies themselves, even though it's one of the rare stories in which zombification isn't caused by TheVirus. ''Everybody'' who dies comes back as a zombie, and it's just that the rotting mouths of zombies have so many germs in them that any bite is almost guaranteed to cause a fatal infection.

[[folder:Anime]]

* In ''Literature/ExHeroes'', it's eventually discovered that [[spoiler:there is a "zombie virus", but it doesn't kill the host (and, in fact, almost everyone is already carrying it). It's the host of other diseases that the zombies are incubating that kill the subject]]. This is why massive doses of antibiotics worked in early cases, but ceased to be of use [[spoiler:as immunodeficiency diseases, viruses, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria got added to the mix]].

* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade''. Some products noted that vampires could act as carriers of blood-borne diseases. This meant they could infect any human they fed upon if the vampire didn't drain enough blood to kill the victim.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has plague zombies, who are humans who have fallen victim to one of Nurgle the plaguefather's many plagues. The diseases they are infected by allow them to become almost incapable of feeling pain, making them walking meatshields.

* There are mummified undead enemies in ''VideoGame/DiabloII'' which release a cloud of toxic corpse gas when defeated.

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series treats vampirism as a disease. There are different strains of the disease with names like Porphyric Hemophilia and Sanguinare Vampiris, which will cause the PC to mutate into a vampire if they are infected with them and don't cure themselves quickly enough. Depending on the game, vampires may spread other diseases to the player as well. The fact that it's a preventable disease is also a reason why vampires are so despised: anyone who doesn't bother to get himself cured must be a total scumbag. (Though as several cases in the lore prove, it isn't ''always'' this simple...)
* The undead provinces in the browser MMORTS ''Utopia'' usually have the "Spreads plague" property, which means that every time you attack or steal from them (or vice versa), there is a chance of carrying ThePlague into your province, which can then spread into other provinces the same way. Of course, the undead provinces themselves are [[RequiredSecondaryPowers immune to plague themselves]]--being already dead and all.
* In ''VideoGame/ShadowrunReturns'', [[OurGhoulsAreCreepier ghouls]] are able to infect characters (including robots) they hit with their claws and deal DamageOverTime.
* In the earlier ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' games, many Zombie skills can inflict the [[UniversalPoison poison]] status. By the third game, the PoisonousPerson class has been relegated to the [[BlobMonster Slimes]].
* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' features the Necromorphs, who will infect anyone they come into contact with. In particular, there are people that were stranded and starving, and took to [[NoPartyLikeADonnerParty eating people that died]]...before wasting away and becoming {{Technically Living Zombie}}s themselves.
* [[GrimReaper Gravelord Nito]] is stated in the opening cinematic of ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' to have weaved a "miasma of disease and death", implying this trope. Similarly, the Gravelord greatsword players can get from joining his covenant causes toxic build-up further reinforcing the image.
* [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Plague Zombies]] in ''VideoGame/FallFromHeaven'' are undead {{mooks}} available for any faction willing to follow the [[ApocalypseCult Ashen Veil]] [[ReligionOfEvil religion]]. They carry diseases which heavily debuff their stats ([[NotTheIntendedUse which can be cured to make them very efficiently-costed for their technology level]]) and which are passed on to any enemy that kills them.

* In the earlier ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' games, many Zombie skills can inflict the [[StandardStatusAilment poison]] status. By the third game, the PoisonousPerson class has been relegated to the [[BlobMonster Slimes]].

* [[GrimReaper Gravelord Nito]] is stated in the opening cinematic of ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' to have weaved a "miasma of disease and death", implying this trope. Similarly, the Gravelord greatsword players can get from joining his covenant causes [[StandardStatusAilment toxic build-up]] further reinforcing the image.

[[folder: Anime ]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Mythology ]]

[[folder: Tabletop Game ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Vampires in the old folk stories are often associated with plague; not merely acquiring the condition like it is in modern-day vampirism, but the mere fact that they invisibly sneak around murdering people like a plague.

* ''VideoGame/{{Zombidle}}'': One of [[VillainProtagonist Bob the Necromancer's]] zombie minions is "[[DeadWeight The Big Plague]]", and his special abilities are all named after disease (Chickenpox, Smallpox, [[TakeThat Bieberpox]] and Blackest of Plagues).

Compare ZombieInfectee, TheVirus, PoisonousPerson

!Examples

[[AC:Anime]]
* In ''Anime/YuGiOh'', Yami Yugi forces a FusionDance between his undead Mammoth Graveyard and Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. The improper fusion between a living and undead creature causes the Blue-Eyes to become diseased and begin to decay and lose strength every turn.

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Mythology]]

[[AC:Tabletop Game]]
* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade''. Some products noted that vampires could act as carriers of blood-borne diseases. This meant they could infect any human they fed upon if the vampire didn't drain enough blood to kill the victim.
* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', many types of undead can inflict poison, disease, and other debilitating ailments like level drain.
** ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' issue #25, article "Varieties of Vampires" . A human spattered by the blood of an Anananngel vampire is afflicted by sores and diseases that incapacitate them.
** Mummies inflict a rotting disease by touch that drains 2 points of Charisma per month, neutralizes Cure Wound spells, reduces the natural healing rate to 10% of normal and is fatal in 1-6 months.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has plague zombies, who are humans who have fallen victim to one of Nurgle the plaguefather's many plagues. The diseases they are infected by allow them to become almost incapable of feeling pain, making them walking meatshields.

[[AC:Video Games]]
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'', undead enemies often inflict status ailments.

* [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Plague Zombies]] in ''VideoGame/FallFromHeaven'' are undead {{mooks}} available for any faction willing to follow the [[ApocalypseCult Ashen Veil]] [[ReligionOfEvil religion]]. They carry diseases which heavily debuff their stats ([[NotTheIntendedUse which can be cured to make them very efficiently-costed for their technology level]]) and which are passed on to any enemy that kills them.

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series treats vampirism as a disease. There are different strains of the disease with names like Porphyric Hemophilia and Sanguinare Vampiris, which will cause the PC to mutate into a vampire if they are infected with them and don't cure themselves quickly enough. Depending on the game, vampires may spread other diseases to the player as well. The fact that it's a preventable disease is also a reason why vampires are so despised: anyone who doesn't bother to get himself cured must be a total scumbag. (Though as several cases in the lore prove, it is ''always'' this simple...)

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series treats vampirism as a disease. There are different strains of the disease with names like Porphyric Hemophilia and Sanguinare Vampiris, which will cause the PC to mutate into a vampire if they are infected with them and don't cure themselves quickly enough. Depending on the game, vampires may spread many diseases to the player. The fact that it's a preventable disease [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration is also a reason why vampires are so despised]]: anyone who doesn't bother to get himself cured before it becomes permanent is a total scumbag.

* [[GrimReaper Gravelord Nito]] is stated in the opening cinematic of ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' to have weaved a "miasma of disease and death", implying this trope. Similarly, the Gravelord greatsword players can get from joining his covenant causes [[StandardStatusAilment toxic build-up]] further reinforcing the image.

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* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series treats vampirism as a disease. There are different strains of the disease with names like Porphyric Hemophilia and Sanguinare Vampiris, which will cause the PC to mutate into a vampire if they are infected with them and don't cure themselves quickly enough. Depending on the game, vampires may spread many diseases to the player. The fact that it's a ''preventable'' disease is also a reason why vampires are so despised: anyone who doesn't bother to get himself cured before it becomes permanent is a total scumbag.

** In ''VI'', the necromancer armies deploy lamasu, zombie sphinxes which are infected with plague magic and then sent to spread disease amongst the enemy army.

** In ''III'' and ''V'', zombies can be upgraded to inflict diseases when they attack living enemies, reducing the damage they do.

* ''{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has plague zombies, who are humans who have fallen victim to one of Nurgle the plaguefather's many plagues. The diseases they are infected by allow them to become almost incapable of feeling pain, making them walking meatshields.

* Appears in some of the ''HeroesOfMightAndMagic'' games:
** In III and V, zombies can be upgraded to inflict diseases when they attack living enemies, reducing the damage they do.
** In VI, the necromancer armies deploy lamasu, zombie sphinxes which are infected with plague magic and then sent to spread disease amongst the enemy army.
* There are mummified undead enemies in ''{{Diablo}} II'' which release a cloud of toxic corpse gas when defeated.
* The Undead faction in ''WarcraftIII'' can research the Disease ability, which lets their [[FleshGolem Abominations]] and siege weapons create clouds of poisonous gas when attacking.

* ''TheElderScrolls'' series treats vampirism as a disease. There are different strains of the disease with names like Porphyric Hemophilia and Sanguinare Vampiris, which will cause the PC to mutate into a vampire if they are infected with them and don't cure themselves quickly enough. Depending on the game, vampires may spread many diseases to the player. The fact that it's a ''preventable'' disease is also a reason why vampires are so despised: anyone who doesn't bother to get himself cured before it becomes permanent is a total scumbag.

* The Undead faction in ''WarcraftIII'' can research the Miasma ability, which lets their [[FleshGolem Abominations]] and siege weapons create clouds of poisonous gas when attacking.

* The undead provinces in the browser MMORTS ''Utopia'' usually have the "Spreads plague" property, which means that every time you attack or steal from them (or vice versa), there is a chance of carrying ThePlague into your province, which can then spread into other provinces the same way.

* Vampires in general are often associated with plague; not merely acquiring the condition like it is in modern-day vampirism, but the mere fact that they invisibly sneak around murdering people like a plague.

* ''TheElderScrolls'' series treats vampirism as a disease. There are different strains of the disease with names like Porphyric Hemophilia and Sanguinare Vampiris, which will cause the PC to mutate into a vampire if they are infected with them and don't cure themselves quickly enough.

!!Anime

!!Literature
* In ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'', vampires don't merely drain their victims of blood, they transform them by injecting them with actual venom that infects and transforms them. Said venom can be extracted from a vampire and injected to turn someone without needing to bite them.

!!Tabletop Game

!!Video Games