5 ms·

Since the virus survives freezing there's certainly some frozen bodies that harbor the disease as well. The idea is sort of dismissed in [1] but the CDC quotes

by Steko 12y ago

Since the virus survives freezing there's certainly some frozen bodies that harbor the disease as well. The idea is sort of dismissed in [1] but the CDC quotes there are more about the prospects for a pandemic then whether the virus is likely present all over the arctic (etc.) or not. [1] http://gizmodo.com/will-smallpox-reemerge-in-siberia-as-corpses-thaw-from-1514969971 http://gizmodo.com/will-smallpox-reemerge-in-siberia-as-corp... edit: According to [2] things like tundra smallpox are the reason the US didn't want to destroy the last lab samples. [2] http://www.livescience.com/2403-climate-threat-thawing-tundra-releases-infected-corpses.html http://www.livescience.com/2403-climate-threat-thawing-tundr...

weaksauce 12y ago
They haven't destroyed the last samples. There are official samples in America and Russia still.
- justin66 12y ago
  Can you provide any references to that effect? I'm pretty sure the closest we still officially have is a virus that is derived from smallpox, which they convinced to jump species and infect apes. Unofficially, well... case in point.
  - BoppreH 12y ago
    From TFA: By international agreement, there are two official World Health Organization (WHO)-designated repositories for smallpox: CDC in Atlanta, Georgia and the State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology (VECTOR) in Novosibirsk, Russia. The WHO oversees the inspection of these smallpox facilities and conducts periodic reviews to certify the repositories for safety and security.
    - justin66 12y ago
      Thanks. It's a little surprising to me since I seem to remember one of Richard Preston's books ending with VECTOR and CDC destroying their samples (and doing the species jump to create something that would theoretically infect monkeys but not people). Perhaps my recollection is incorrect... I remain amused at how wrath of god people can get with the downvoting. :)
      - BoppreH 12y ago
        I can't speak for the others, but I almost downvoted you. And the reason is simple: the article was an eight paragraph piece, with your remark neatly answered in the sixth. People can get a little mad when contested by something refuted in the (short) required reading. But you are a little right. There was a big push to destroy all samples, with USA and Russia fighting to keep them for military reasons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_virus_retention_controversy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_virus_retention_contro...

by Steko 12y ago

weaksauce 12y ago

They haven't destroyed the last samples. There are official samples in America and Russia still.

justin66 12y ago
Can you provide any references to that effect? I'm pretty sure the closest we still officially have is a virus that is derived from smallpox, which they convinced to jump species and infect apes. Unofficially, well... case in point.
- BoppreH 12y ago
  From TFA: By international agreement, there are two official World Health Organization (WHO)-designated repositories for smallpox: CDC in Atlanta, Georgia and the State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology (VECTOR) in Novosibirsk, Russia. The WHO oversees the inspection of these smallpox facilities and conducts periodic reviews to certify the repositories for safety and security.
  - justin66 12y ago
    Thanks. It's a little surprising to me since I seem to remember one of Richard Preston's books ending with VECTOR and CDC destroying their samples (and doing the species jump to create something that would theoretically infect monkeys but not people). Perhaps my recollection is incorrect... I remain amused at how wrath of god people can get with the downvoting. :)
    - BoppreH 12y ago
      I can't speak for the others, but I almost downvoted you. And the reason is simple: the article was an eight paragraph piece, with your remark neatly answered in the sixth. People can get a little mad when contested by something refuted in the (short) required reading. But you are a little right. There was a big push to destroy all samples, with USA and Russia fighting to keep them for military reasons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_virus_retention_controversy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_virus_retention_contro...