Melting Viruses Mean Unknown Threats

The melting ice sheets are releasing viruses from long ago. In 1999, Scott Rogers of Bowling green State University in the US found tomato mosaic tobamovirus in many ice cores. Defrosting revealed full potency after 140,000 years. This virus has a tough protein coat. Not all survive but clearly some old virus strains from even farther back could be released creating big challenges of medicine and traceability. Indeed, over the last ten years scientists have foundbacteria, funghi, viruses, algae and yeast under up to four kilometers of ice that can be released in active form as global warming has its impact. Rogers recently found human influenza virus in Siberian ice. He thinks it came from migrating birds. Dany Shoham of Bar Ilam university in Israel thinks the influenza virus is the most likely to be released and reinfect humans. In October 2005, we have seen successful US attempts to recreate the virus that killed 20 to 100 million people in 1918 and its extreme potency was confirmed on mice. This and other long forgotten strains could be waiting down there .....

 

Food & Livestock Traceability 2006 conference will be held on February 1-2 2006 in Dallas, USA. This hot topic is driven by health scares, bioterrorism and new laws. It will become the largest RFID application but we cover DNA and many other vital technologies as well. For further details please visit www.trackingfood.com 

 

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