Zombie Research Society
It’s almost certain that any person infected with the inevitable zombie virus will simply appear asymptomatic as the disease incubates within them. The idea of a truly asymptomatic zombie is often incorrectly confused with the concept of immunity. However, the undead are defined by the Zombie Research Society as “relentlessly aggressive” which implies that the virus itself is actually spread by violently attacking their victims; clawing, scratching, biting, etc.
An asymptomatic zombie is most likely a ticking time bomb or looming threat at best, and a superspreader or covert carrier of the virus at worst; transmitting the disease among fellow survivors completely undetected. But what about true immunity? Perhaps there are some humans out there actually resistant and completely immune to the inevitable zombie virus.
Ignoring any theoretical medication or vaccines that stimulate the immune system or create memory cells, let’s instead focus on natural immunity to the zombie virus. An article written by Scott Mueller and Barry Rouse, published online by the National Library of Medicine via the National Center for Biotechnical Information describes this innate immunity in two ways.
Innate immunity generally serves to slow, rather than stop, viral infection, allowing time for the adaptive immune response to begin. The two major divisions of adaptive immunity, antibody and T-cell-mediated, are mainly directed at different targets. Antibodies usually function by binding to free viral particles, and in so doing block infection of the host cell. In contrast, T cells act principally by recognizing and destroying virus-infected cells.
Again, we find that the zombie virus is inevitable; even innate immunity as we know it simply slows the infection. Instead, our bodies will fight the disease either by developing antibodies or destroying the virus itself. It will eventually enter your body, it will invade your cells, and it will ultimately change you in some way. Whether that is by adapting your immune system to create antibodies, or by coding your T cell receptors to recognize and attack the actual virus.
In 2011 one of our contributors cited an article from WIRED (published in 2005) claiming to decipher genetic resistance to a virus transmitted via bodily fluids, much like a zombie bite. The conclusion was that exposure to bacteria during the Black Death or smallpox somehow contributed to a genetic mutation that proved useful in future generations. The possibility that immunity to certain diseases can be mutated, inherited, and eventually provide a sort of “head start” among certain races or groups of people is now apparently well-documented.
In light of this research, it is quite possible that a section of humanity could be “immune” to the inevitable zombie virus. However, due to the very unusual nature and extraordinarily rare aspects of the disease, such an infection is likely to be manufactured for maximum effect.
Regardless, a true and real “immunity” to the inevitable zombie virus is a fantasy. If exposed, you will almost certainly contract the disease itself and either succumb to the virus or survive long enough to pass on a genetic mutation to future generations. The fight against the living dead may actually be inter-generational – also known as transgenerational immune priming or trained immunity. Your children may be the future in more ways than ever imagined. Just look at the links above, study and research them, because what you don’t know can eat you!