Dead Serious

UD's Jen Horney examines the likelihood of a zombie outbreak

Diane Stopyra November 21, 2024

If you’ve ever watched decomposing ghouls shuffle across your screen and thought: “This could never happen in real life”... think again.

“A zombie outbreak is possible,” says Jennifer Horney, core faculty member at the Disaster Research Center and the founding director of UD’s epidemiology program. “It’s the kernel of truth that makes these movies so appealing.”

No, brain-eating corpses aren’t a real thing—yet. But there are conditions that cause zombie-like symptoms. Consider mad-cow disease, which pairs psychotic episodes with poor coordination.

Many viruses already have the power to alter a genetic code or cause brain inflammation—and further mutations are possible.

"It's the kernel of truth that makes [zombie] movies so appealing," says UD Epidimiology Professor Jen Horney.

According to the National Library of Medicine, “the transformation of rabies into a ‘zombie virus’ will always remain a tangible threat surrounding human future.”

Parasitic fungi that typically hijack insect bodies could develop the ability to infect people. And, thanks to melting polar ice caps, epidemiologists are bracing for the release of ancient microbes—so-called “zombie viruses”—set to affect human bodies in ways still unknown.