A cornucopia of human polyomaviruses.

Authors :: DeCaprio JA
Garcea RL
Source :: Nature reviews. Microbiology [Nat Rev Microbiol] 2013 Apr; Vol. 11 (4), pp. 264-76. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Mar 11.
Publication Year :: 2013
Abstract: During the past 6 years, focused virus hunting has led to the discovery of nine new human polyomaviruses, including Merkel cell polyomavirus, which has been linked to Merkel cell carcinoma, a lethal skin cell cancer. The discovery of so many new and highly divergent human polyomaviruses raises key questions regarding their evolution, tropism, latency, reactivation, immune evasion and contribution to disease. This Review describes the similarities and differences among the new human polyomaviruses and discusses how these viruses might interact with their human host.