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Zombie Apocalypse Threats Are Real, And We Aren’t Prepared, New Medical Study Says

By Tara Dodrill
Published on: 03:31 PST, Dec 16, 2015

Zombie apocalypse threats are real and the world is woefully unprepared, according to a new study in a top medical journal. Tara Smith, an Ohio professor from Kent State University, used the popularity of the zombie infections theme in television shows and movies to illustrate just how rapidly and deadly the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) infections can spread around the globe.

The zombie apocalypse study leader said the new study should serve as wake up call for both the public and the medical community. The Kent State professor and her team used fictional zombie viruses from popular movies to demonstrate exactly how outbreaks spread and the devastating impact such an incident could have on humanity.

The Zombie Infections: Epidemiology, Treatment, and Prevention study by the Kent State professor reviewed how the fictional zombie Solanum virus, the Rage virus, and the Trixie virus spread and were reacted to by government medical experts and the public. The zombie apocalypse study was published in the British Medical Journal.

Tara Smith noted that “non-viral zombie” infections which could cause an apocalypse include the Black Plague and Mad Cow Disease. The Ohio professor’s research revealed that the spread of Yersinia pestis (Black Plague) and the cordyceps fungus (Mad Cow) are most commonly spread via bites — hence the zombie apocalypse connection.

Smith also found that during a “zombie outbreak,” the symptoms of infection tend to occur in a primarily uniform manner despite the outbreak-causing pathogen. While the incubation period for the presentation of symptoms can range from mere second to days, depending upon the type of outbreak, Smith said the type of symptoms remains largely the same.

Zombie Apocalypse coming soon?

The initial zombie virus outbreak symptoms reportedly include an unsteady gait when attempting to walk, a decrease of dexterity, a stripping away of the patient’s former personality traits, frequent moaning, and ultimately, the flesh begins to rot. According to the Kent State professor, only rarely do the “zombies” display any signs of intelligence or sense of self-awareness. The tendency and desire to bite flesh is also commonplace, according to the author of the new zombie apocalypse study.

If you are not prepping for a zombie apocalypse, you apparently should be. According to the new study, zombie outbreaks occur rapidly and possess “society-destroying characteristics.” Professor Smith said this area of disease control and prevention has been left virtually unexplored. She added that both treatment and prevention should become a focused upon more keenly because the emergence of “zombie pathogens” is increasing. The Kent State research team leader is urging the medical community to view her study as a “wake-up” call and investigate the matter further, the Daily Mail reports.

28 Days Later Rage Virus Part Of Zombie Apocalypse Study

Although Professor Smith used popular and entertaining fictional zombie movie viruses in her study, she takes what she feels is a lackluster attention to doomsday infectious disease scenarios very seriously. The Ebola outbreak of 2014 highlighted how unprepared the world is to deal with a widespread contagious outbreak which can quickly overwhelm medical services, according to the Kent State researcher.

The development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria appear to support at least some of professor Smith’s arguments and give credence to her call to action — before it’s too late.

The zombie apocalypse threats study author had this to say about her findings.

“Several models of zombie infections have shown that in the event of a large scale outbreak humans face extermination. Chances of survival start out slightly higher in sparsely populated areas, but they eventually become overwhelmed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others have published details of the preparations that should be made in the case of a pending zombie outbreak. Unfortunately most countries remain grossly unprepared for a potential disaster of this nature.”

Trixie Virus From The Crazies Studied As Part Of Zombie Apocalypse Threat Is Real Study

What do you think about the zombie apocalypse threats are real study and the level of preparedness offered by governments to contain such a TEOTWAWKI outbreak?

[Image via Shutterstock]

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