PLoS ONE has published research showing that some cancers in humans may be related to the virus that causes bovine leukemia.
The BLV virus, which causes infectious bovine enzootic leukemia, may be responsible for the majority of cases of human breast cancer. Such conclusions were reached by scientists from the American University of Berkeley. The results of their research have been published in the magazine “PLoS ONE”.
Researchers examined the tissues of 239 women, including samples from women suffering from breast cancer and healthy women. It turned out that in almost 60 percent. BLV DNA was also found in tissues from the first group. Moreover, almost every third tissue collected from a healthy woman also had BLV stigmas. This may indicate that BLV can directly cause breast cancer. However, research is at a fairly early stage to determine the magnitude of the probability.
Infection with BLV affects only dairy cattle. An infected animal remains sick throughout its life and can infect other animals.
Based on: PLoS ONE, berkeley.edu