Orange with 6Medias, published on Wednesday, January 04, 2023 at 6:20 p.m.
The melting of the permafrost, permanently frozen ground, of the North Pole makes scientists fear the release of several viruses which might be dangerous for the human species.
“Zombie” viruses dangerous for humanity? French, Russian and German scientists have managed to revive viruses buried for tens of thousands of years in the frozen soil of Siberia. Indeed, thirteen of them were resuscitated. This research was motivated by global warming, which has been causing ice melting in the North Pole for several years. The results made it possible to deepen previous studies already carried out.
Organic matter composed of bacteria and viruses has been released from permafrost for millennia. The number of bacteria released is much greater than that of viruses, which tends to suggest, incorrectly, that there is no risk to public health. For now, the study conducted is only a draft and has yet to be reviewed by other scientists. However, for the experts, it is “legitimate to wonder regarding the risk that old viral particles remain infectious and are put back into circulation by the thawing of old layers of permafrost”.
Thawing permafrost might pose a hazard by releasing the bodies of people who died of an infectious disease years or centuries ago. Thus, past infections might come back to life. Many epidemics have punctuated the centuries during human history, but for scientists, it is smallpox, a disease now eradicated globally that worries the most. Its reintroduction might have catastrophic consequences. Although smallpox was discovered on bodies dating from 300 years ago buried in Siberia, this disease can only survive for a few decades, which greatly limits the danger.
This is not the first time that such viruses, also called “zombie virus” have been detected since in 2014, another pathogen was discovered. A year later, another was found. At present, it is very unlikely that these thousand-year-old viruses pose a danger to humans since they are very different from classic viruses.
Dangerous bacteria for humans?
Bacteria also worry scientists, such as Bacillus anthracis which causes “anthrax”. This epidemic represents more of a danger rather for livestock and herbivores. A wave of this epidemic killed 2,350 reindeer in 2016, a year which coincided with a very hot episode in the North Pole. A hypothesis favored by experts suggests that the carcass of a dead animal, freed from the permafrost, would be the cause of the epidemic. The latter had led to the hospitalization of several residents. However, this anthrax is common on the planet and should not have serious consequences.
No worries but some caution
Other organisms, more resistant to antibiotics might also be released. Resistance genes can indeed be detected in permafrost. However, it is unlikely that these bacteria will change the game since they are already in the environment.
The studies are therefore rather reassuring, but call for great caution. Nevertheless, the various researches carried out show that new kinds of viruses capable of resisting time can emerge, but not enough to fuel the theories of a disaster scenario.
