Lycanthropy
A magical disease with a long history and a confusingly incorrect name, lycanthropy is one of various ways to refer to weres, especially werewolves. Because confusion exists on whether weres are their own species of just humans with this condition, the stand-alone term for the condition has yet to go out of use. Still, there are many that are of the opinion that the term should be retired, both for its long (and often unpleasant) past, and for its incorrectness when applied to weres in general.
Transmission & Vectors
Lycanthropy can be transmitted in one of two ways: it can be passed from were parents, or it can be transmitted via bite. Weres are infectious as soon as the condition has settled, which occurs somewhere in the first year or two if congenital, or within a month (max two) if acquired via a bite. However, they are only infectious if partially shifted. Part-blood weres (congenital weres with a human parent) are never infectious.
Causes
Lycanthropy is a historical condition, which has thus muddled up its origin. Likely it has several origin points, as there are multiple different animal variations across the globe. It is thought that lycanthropy originates as a failed spell, either as the direct result or as the backlash of one, although it is very well possible that it was intentionally done. Whatever its origin, it has never (successfully) been replicated, at least not that anyone has documented. All modern weres are thus descended from those ancient original weres, their condition either passed by birth of by bite.
Symptoms
A manifesting were will suffer from the same symptom regardless of whether they were bitten or passed the condition from birth, though the latter has lesser symptoms spread over a longer period of time. Manifesting weres will face increased hair growth, both in placement and speed with which it grows. They'll be itchy, in part due to the hair growth. They may suffer from muscle cramps, feel like their skin is too tight, and overall be more irritated than usual. Their senses will improve until they reach the baseline for weres, closer to the level of their (eventual) animal forms.
For infected weres, the manifestation will crest with their first full moon (unless it passed in their first week). During this time they will follow the same lines of forced shifting as any other were, starting a day before the full moon, until they reach the full animal shift during the night of the full moon itself. Their first full shift marks the moment of settling, and they are infectious from that moment on.
Born weres are a little more complicated, since their condition moves more slowly. Unlike infected weres, they will not experience their first shift based on the moon, but based on their own level of magic. Often their first (partial) shift will occur just after their first (major) act of magic, but sometimes it naturally comes as their magical core develops. Either way, after their first shift, they are considered 'settled' weres, and will shift with the turning of the moon.
Treatment
Hypothetically, a were can stop being a were and return to being a 'regular' human by removing their magical core. However, this procedure is extremely experimental, very dangerous, and... would leave the (formerly) afflicted without the ability to use magic, and may even turn then entirely Mundane. Since weres are typically in good control over their transformations, and don't "go feral" unless afflicted by something else, treatment is thus generally dismissed.
Cultural Reception
Reception of weres varies highly per culture and, naturally, over time. In Europe, werewolves were feared and ostracized for a long time, with habits such as silver carrying and children's songs like Tug the Tail telling of them. In more recent times perception has shifted, and they've become an accepted part of society, no different than anyone else.
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