Scientists have issued warnings about the potential threats posed by ancient viruses lying dormant beneath the Arctic permafrost and other icy regions. As reported by The Guardian, the melting Arctic permafrost, accelerated by global warming, could unleash these “zombie viruses,” triggering a global health crisis.
Geneticist Jean-Michel Claverie from Aix-Marseille University, who revived viruses from Siberian permafrost samples last year, emphasizes the oversight in pandemic threat analyses, which typically focus on diseases emerging in southern regions and spreading north. Claverie notes the possibility of an outbreak originating in the far north and traveling south.
Marion Koopmans of the Erasmus Medical Center supports this concern, highlighting the unknown viruses in permafrost and the potential for a disease outbreak, such as an ancient form of polio. Despite spending a million years frozen, live viruses could still infect single-celled organisms, as demonstrated by Claverie’s team in Siberia in 2014. Genomic traces of poxviruses and herpesviruses, human pathogens, have been identified in permafrost.
While the isolated viruses posed no threat to humans, the existence of other viruses in the permafrost raises concerns. About a fifth of the Northern Hemisphere is covered in permafrost, acting as a time capsule preserving extinct creatures’ remains. The Arctic, heating up faster than the global average, faces increased risks due to disappearing sea ice. Growing shipping, traffic, and industrial development in Siberia, including planned mining operations, could release pathogens. The extraction of oil and ores, involving deep permafrost drilling, poses a significant threat. Miners, exposed to the released viruses, could inadvertently trigger calamitous health effects.
The urgency to address this issue stems from the broader impact of global warming on the Arctic region, necessitating a comprehensive approach to prevent potential health crises. As the permafrost thaws, careful consideration, and proactive measures are essential to mitigate the risks associated with the revival of ancient viruses and protect against unforeseen consequences.
