Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a single-stranded RNA virus that can cause adult T-cell leukemia. It can be transmitted through blood transfusion, sexual contact, and childbirth. Only a minority of infected individuals develop symptoms.

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- Hepatitis C Virus 
- Hepatitis B virus 
- Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) 
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) 
- Human T lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-) 


Viruses that cause cancer 

Hepatitis C is an RNA virus that infects 3% of the world's population. Hepatitis C can be acute or chronic. In the case of chronic infection it causes cirrhosis which can then lead to primary hepatocellular carcinoma in some individuals. 



Hepatitis C Virus 
 

EBV and HHV-8 are both herpes viruses which have large double stranded DNA. Nearly 95% of all adultes are seropositive. These viruses encode enzymes in DNA replication, repair and nucleotide biosynthesis. 

EBV is associated with B and T cell lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, leiomyosarcomas, and nasopharyngeal carcinomas. Research has shown individuals with immunodeficiency are more likely to develop such illness and thus immunosurveillance plays an important role in the prognosis of such conditions. 

Biopsies of Kaposi Sarcoma contained HHV-8 DNA,which suggested the cancer was caused by HHV-8. Kaposi sarcoma was a rare type of cancer before the AIDS epidemic but AIDS increased this kind of cancer. This underscores the role of immunosuppression in the development of Kaposi sarcoma. This suggests that immunotherapy  and targeted therapy are the best ways to eradicate this type of cancer.


Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) 


Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is another virus that causes cancer in humans. Most HPV-induced diseases are benign such as warts but those caused by high risk strains of HPV such as 16 and 18 causes cervical and penile cancer. Other HPV-related cancers are head and neck cancer and some skin cancer. Immunosuppressed individuals are at particularly high risk of HPV-induced cancers.


Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 


Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a double-stranded DNA virus that can cause chronic infection, leading to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). Unlike Hepatitis C (an RNA virus), HBV replication can be targeted by oral antiviral medications, and post-transplant recurrence can be prevented with oral antiviral therapy.

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