As Earth Warms, the Diseases That May Lie within Permafrost Become a Bigger Worry

In this article from Scientific American, the authors discuss that global warming leading to melting of permafrost may result in the release of ancient bacteria that have been trapped frozen in the permafrost. This arises great concern as it is likely that humans will not have sufficient immunity against these infectious agents. They used a case of anthrax on Yamal Peninsula in Siberia as an example. The thawing of permafrost released spores of Bacillus anthracis which were previously immobile, releasing them into water and soil contaminating their food supply. This resulted in the deaths of 2,300 reindeer, 100 people where hospitalized 20 with potentially deadly infections, and the death of a 12 year old boy.

Of course not all organisms can survive in the extreme cold aside from viruses and organisms which can form spores or enter other dormant states allowing them to survive for many years. Current research and analysis, such as DNA sequencing and protein analysis, is being done on permafrost to uncover the properties that these potentially threatening unknown organisms, called microbial dark matter, may possess.

Some researchers argue that the thawing of permafrost is not the most urgent concern that we face. They reference other research that has shown an increase in the range of certain illnesses, dengue and malaria, spread by mosquitoes as the earths surface warms. Their closing statement addresses a way to prevent these events from occurring. Lowering fossil-fuel consumption to slow climate change is their solution to both threats that have been discussed.