Scientists are issuing warnings about a potentially lethal pathogen referred to as ‘Factor X,’ lying dormant in the Earth’s permafrost and posing a threat if unleashed. Permafrost describes earth that has been frozen for two or more consecutive years, and the Arctic region has experienced rapid warming in recent decades, causing permafrost temperatures to rise by around minus 17 degrees Celsius per decade.
Global warming is accelerating glacier ice melt in polar regions, where ancient viruses have remained dormant for thousands of years. Researchers express concerns that the release of these viruses, triggered by global warming, could resurrect diseases such as smallpox or other pathogens that once plagued humanity’s ancestors.
Infectious disease specialist Birgitta Evengård from Sweden’s Umeå University underscores the unknowns surrounding “Factor X” lurking in the permafrost. She emphasizes the presence of microbes, particularly viruses and bacteria, predating the existence of Homo sapiens on Earth.
The fears of ancient viruses resurfacing gained attention when French and Russian researchers reactivated a giant virus in 2014, lying dormant in the Siberian permafrost for 30,000 years. While this pandoravirus infects only amoeba and doesn’t pose a threat to humans, it raises concerns about the potential reemergence of animal/human-infecting viruses.
Jean-Michel Claverie, who led the study on pandoravirus, points out that if amoeba viruses can endure in permafrost, animal/human-infecting viruses could also remain infectious. DNA from these viruses has been detected in permafrost, suggesting the possibility of their survival.
Researchers have identified six frozen pathogens deemed the most significant threats to humanity. The concerns about ancient viruses resurfacing highlight the urgency of understanding and addressing the consequences of global warming on permafrost and its potential impact on public health.
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