48,500-year-old 'zombie viruses' may lead to another pandemic
Experts caution that ancient viruses, also known as Methuselah microbes or zombie viruses, trapped in Arctic permafrost could be unleashed due to global warming, potentially sparking a significant disease outbreak. Geneticist Jean-Michel Claverie from Aix-Marseille University points out the lack of focus on possible outbreaks originating in the far north and spreading southward. He told The Guardian, "There are viruses up there that have the potential to infect humans and start a new disease outbreak."
Discovery of live viruses in Siberian permafrost
In 2014, Claverie led a group that extracted live viruses from Siberian permafrost samples, proving their ability to infect single-cell organisms even after being buried for millennia. Additional research published in 2023 discovered various viral strains from seven Siberian locations, capable of infecting cultured cells. One virus sample was determined to be a staggering 48,500 years old!
Potential human pathogens among frozen viruses
Claverie notes that while the discovered viruses could only infect amoebae and posed no threat to humans, other presently frozen viruses might cause illnesses in humans. "We have identified genomic traces of poxviruses and herpesviruses, which are well-known human pathogens," he stated. Virologist Marion Koopmans from the Erasmus Medical Center adds, "We don't know what viruses are lying out there in the permafrost but I think there's a risk that there might be one capable of triggering a disease outbreak."
Melting permafrost and industrial development increase risks
Climate change-induced permafrost melting and vanishing Arctic Sea as an impact of global warming ice are allowing shipping, traffic, and industrial development to increase in Siberia. Claverie warns that planned mining operations penetrating deep permafrost could unleash massive amounts of pathogens, saying, "Miners will walk in and breathe the viruses. The effects could be calamitous." Koopmans highlights that changes in land use have historically been major factors in epidemic outbreaks.
Plans for Arctic monitoring network and quarantine facilities
Scientists are collaborating with UArctic, the University of the Arctic, to create an Arctic monitoring network that would identify early cases of diseases caused by ancient microorganisms and offer quarantine and specialized medical treatment for infected individuals. Claverie asserts, "We now face a tangible threat and we need to be prepared to deal with it." The aim is to contain potential outbreaks and prevent infected people from leaving the region.
