Welcome back to another edition of ‘Keeping up with Virus Taxonomy’. For this edition, we’re taking a closer look at some viruses that are linked to cancers in their hosts and the families where they belong.
Some viruses hijack the host cells machinery to replicate. In order to do this, they insert their genetic code into that of the host cell. If this affects the host’s own genetic code, this may alter the normal functioning of the cell and steer it towards becoming cancerous.
Other viruses may weaken the host's immune system, affecting its ability to detect and eliminate cancerous cells.