The case for BK polyomavirus as a cause of bladder cancer

Publication date: December 2019Source: Current Opinion in Virology, Volume 39Author(s): Gabriel J Starrett, Christopher B BuckIn 2014, the International Agency for Research on Cancer judged Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) to be a probable human carcinogen. BK polyomavirus (BKPyV, a distant cousin of MCPyV) was ruled a possible carcinogen. In this review, we argue that it has recently become reasonable to view both of these viruses as known human carcinogens. In particular, several complementary lines of evidence support a causal role for BKPyV in the development of bladder carcinomas affecting organ transplant patients. The expansion of inexpensive deep sequencing has opened new approaches to investigating the important question of whether BKPyV causes urinary tract cancers in the general population.Graphical abstract
Source: Current Opinion in Virology - Category: Virology Source Type: research