50,000-year-old viruses still present in human bodies! Ancient skeletons unravel medical mysteries

Recent research reveals that our ancestors from the Neanderthal era were ridden with the same viruses that still affect our human bodies even though there has been significant evolution through the ages.

Although we have come a long way in the last 5,000 decades, the viruses that were present in the body of our Neanderthal ancestors still had the same symptoms of the viruses whose remnants still make us ill today, according to a 'DailyStar' report.

Phenomenal research

Brazil's Federal University of Sao Paulo, known for working on such crucial projects, has been conducting steady research on our ancient relatives. It has led to what is believed the oldest traces of three viruses found in the human body today.

This discovery beats an old record of the existence of ancient viruses present in today's humans by some 31,000 years, which was found in Siberia. Now, this sequence found in baby teeth was compared with virus sequences typically present in humans today and analyzed that the virus was ancient.

Current research
Further research on this matter revealed that these could be a typical kind of modern virus similar to adenovirus, herpesvirus, or papillomavirus. This study was published on May 21 and is yet to go through a peer review after which the research can be further scrutinized.

Cold and flu-like symptoms may cause adenoviruses, genital warts and cancer forms may occur from papillomaviruses while herpesviruses can be a reason for cold sores or chickenpox.

According to 'The Daily Star', Marcelo Briones from the Federal University of Sao Paulo began working on the discovery of the skeletons of two males from the Chagyrskaya cave in the mountains of Russia and these were found to have the sequences deemed as viruses. This included the herpesvirus that is typically found in humans today.

FAQs:

1. How old are some viruses found in the human body?
According to recent research, viruses found more than 50,000 years ago are still present in the body of today's humans. This is even though our bodies have evolved significantly over the years.

2. Which University is working on the project around the oldest virus traces in the current human body?
Brazil's Federal University of Sao Paulo is working on the research around the oldest traces of viruses seen in Neanderthal ancestors, that are also found in the human body.