Until a few years ago the polyomavirus family (Polyomaviridae) included a dozen viruses identified in avian and mammalian hosts. Two of these, the JC and BK-polyomaviruses isolated a long time ago, are known to infect humans and cause severe illness in immunocompromised hosts. Since 2007 an unprecedented number of eight novel polyomaviruses were discovered in humans. Among them are the KI- and ...

We report here the first canine polyomavirus genome, identified by metagenomics in respiratory secretions of two dogs with severe pneumonia, which tested negative for all canine respiratory pathogens except Mycoplasma cynos The isolate, Canis familiaris polyomavirus 1 (DogPyV-1), is a beta polyomavirus whose closest known LT antigen relatives are primate polyomaviruses.

We amplified and sequenced six complete genomes of a polyomavirus from feral Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and from a long-term breeding colony derived from Norway rats. This virus, which is closely related to hamster polyomavirus and murine polyomavirus, may contribute to understanding the evolutionary history of rodent polyomaviruses.

The genome of a new human polyomavirus, known as Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV), has recently been reported to be integrated within the cellular DNA of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare human skin cancer. To investigate MCV seroprevalence in the general population, we expressed three different MCV VP1 in insect cells using recombinant baculoviruses. Viruslike particles (VLPs) were obtained wi...

BACKGROUND A 33 year-old pancreatic transplant recipient developed weakness, retinal blindness, and necrotic plaques on her face, scalp, and hands. METHODS A muscle biopsy was analyzed by light and electron microscopy and high-throughput nucleic acid sequencing. RESULTS The biopsy revealed microthrombosis and viral particles in swollen endothelial cell nuclei. High-throughput sequencing of ...

BACKGROUND Several new polyomaviruses have been discovered in the last decade, including Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Little is known about the natural history of the more recently discovered polyomaviruses. We estimated the incidence, prevalence, and persistence of 9 polyomaviruses (MCPyV, BK polyomavirus, KI polyomavirus, JC polyomavirus, WU polyomavirus, Human polyomavirus 6 [HPyV6], HP...

The genome of a novel polyomavirus first identified in a proliferative tongue lesion of a California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is reported. This is only the third described polyomavirus of laurasiatherian mammals, is the first of the three associated with a lesion, and is the first known polyomavirus of a host in the order Carnivora. Predicted large T, small t, VP1, VP2, and VP3 genes w...

IMPORTANCE The cause of follicular spicules in multiple myeloma (MM) is not known. OBSERVATIONS We present a case of follicular spicules in a patient with MM, which is very reminiscent of trichodysplasia spinulosa caused by a polyomavirus. No trichodysplasia spinulosa-associated polyomavirus could be isolated from the skin lesions; however, the spicules were positive for Merkel cell carcinoma...

The single most important causative factor for malignant melanomas of the skin is UV radiation. However, this is not true for melanomas on body surfaces sheltered from the sun; thus, it is important to seek new causative factors of melanoma genesis. Human papillomaviruses and gammaherpesviruses are associated with human skin cancer; for example, human papillomavirus types 5 and 8 are associated...

It has been suggested that BK-polyomavirus is linked to oncogenesis via high expression levels of large T-antigen in some urothelial neoplasms arising following kidney transplantation. However, a causal association between BK-polyomavirus, large T-antigen expression and oncogenesis has never been demonstrated in humans. Here we describe an investigation using high-throughput sequencing of tumou...