Part 7/12:
While epidemiologists believe antibiotics could potentially treat such ancient bacterial infections—even resistant strains—viruses present a far graver threat. Viruses, unlike bacteria, require specific interventions like antivirals or vaccines, which are developed against known strains. Yet, the risk of reawakened, unknown, and potentially highly infectious ancient viruses remains largely unmitigated.
The Viral Menace: The Unknown and the Unprepared
Ancient viruses, dubbed “zombie viruses,” constitute a significant part of this threat. So far, scientists have identified around a dozen, including a giant virus from 48,500 years ago. These viruses can infect single-celled organisms like amoebas and, in some cases, may still be capable of infecting modern humans.