Even as the world has moved on from the horrors of the coronavirus pandemic, humanity is staring at a possible epidemic that may put a fullstop on the much needed covid recovery around the globe. Researchers have been busy studying the zombie viruses in Russia. There are possible pathogens that can survive the permafrost posing threat to humans who cannot be immune to these viruses nor have drugs to treat them.
Jean-Michel Claverie, an emeritus professor at Aix-Marseille University’s School of Medicine, has spent over a decade researching ancient viruses, some nearly 50,000 years old, found in Siberian permafrost. His work sheds light on the alarming consequences of global warming as it thaws previously frozen ground. This issue is often overshadowed by concerns about melting ice caps and rising temperatures.
Climate scientists have been warning that the Arctic could become ice-free during summer by the 2030s, primarily due to the planet’s 1.2°C increase in temperature since pre-industrial times. The release of trapped greenhouse gases like methane is a well-known concern, but the potential threat from dormant pathogens has received less attention.
In a recent interview at his laboratory in France, Claverie emphasized that while we often associate climate change dangers with threats from warmer regions in the south, emerging risks are also emerging from the north due to permafrost thawing. This thaw can release microbes, bacteria, and viruses that have been dormant for millennia.
The implications of this are still unfolding. For instance, in 2016, a heatwave in Siberia activated anthrax spores from the thawed permafrost, leading to numerous infections and casualties, including reindeer and a child.
Another group of scientists made a fascinating discovery, demonstrating that even multicellular organisms can survive in permafrost conditions in a state called cryptobiosis. They successfully revived a 46,000-year-old roundworm from Siberian permafrost by rehydrating it. This finding suggests that certain organisms have the remarkable ability to halt and then restart their metabolic functions.
Global health organizations and governments have been vigilant about monitoring unknown infectious diseases for years. These diseases may lack human immunity or effective treatments. In 2017, the World Health Organization added “Disease X” to its list of top-priority pathogens, aiming to develop strategies to prevent or contain potential epidemics caused by these unknown threats. These efforts have gained momentum in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a stark reminder of the importance of preparedness and research in the face of emerging infectious diseases.
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While not directly related, Claverie’s research shares a common frontier. Nestled in the outskirts of Marseille, France, his laboratory appears like a curiosity shop or the abode of an eccentric collector. Soil samples in plastic bottles and unassuming brown liquids in glass vials vie for shelf space, while his office displays a woolly rhino vertebra and remnants of a mammoth tusk found during a 2019 Siberian expedition. However, the presence of expensive equipment and a biosafety room indicates the seriousness of his work.
With a background in theoretical particle physics, applied computer science, and biochemistry, Claverie lacked formal training in immunology, which he believes offered him a fresh perspective. His journey into theoretical biology began in 1979 when he turned down an offer to work with renowned MIT biophysicist Alexander Rich to seek out Francis Crick, the Nobel-winning biologist who unraveled DNA’s molecular structure. This chance encounter led to a job referral from Crick himself.
Claverie’s fascination with permafrost, layers of frozen earth enduring temperatures below freezing for at least two years, was kindled by the revival of a flowering plant frozen for 30,000 years. This prompted him to explore the potential resurrection of viruses from ancient permafrost. In 2014, he demonstrated the revival of “live” viruses from Siberian permafrost, focusing on viruses infecting amoebas to prevent accidental human contamination. In 2019, his team isolated 13 new viruses, one of which had been frozen for over 48,500 years, from various ancient Siberian permafrost samples, underscoring their widespread presence.
Claverie has raised serious concerns about the potential catastrophic consequences of an undiscovered ancient pathogen resurfacing in humans, using the extinction of Neanderthals as a cautionary example. The unique conditions found in permafrost, with its lack of oxygen and limited chemical activity, make it an ideal environment for preserving organic matter. In Siberia, where permafrost layers can be as deep as a kilometer, there are thousands of dormant microbe species in just a tiny gram of soil.
However, the stability of these permafrost layers, which have remained intact for 400,000 years, is now under threat due to the rapid warming of the Arctic. This warming is causing methane craters to form and even leading to the sinking of towns in the region. Additionally, geopolitical tensions have made it challenging to collaborate with Russian labs and colleagues, further complicating research efforts.
While global warming poses risks to Russian infrastructure and contributes to environmental disasters, the region also holds valuable natural resources. Russia’s active mining of permafrost raises concerns about the potential for human interaction with ancient pathogens. The dilemma lies in the possibility of unintentionally spreading danger while conducting research on potential threats.
Some experts advocate for less resource-intensive approaches, such as monitoring the Inuit population for diseases linked to permafrost. Larger organizations are also reconsidering their virus-hunting projects due to concerns about inadvertently triggering pandemics.
Regardless of the outcome of the ongoing geopolitical tensions, Claverie has made the decision not to return to Siberia. He believes that he has effectively conveyed the existence of the danger and that further expeditions into the frozen depths would be unwise.
