title: Merkel-cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is rarely associated to B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (1 out of 50) samples and occurs late in the natural history of the disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have reported conflicting results on the frequency and potential pathogenetic role of Merkel-cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association of MCPyV to B-CLL and to investigate the occurrence of MCPyV infection in relationship to the natural history of B-CLL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of primary B-CLL peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from two distinct University Hospitals of Italy from January 2010. For one B-CLL patient, it was possible to retrospectively examine the blood sample at diagnosis of B-CLL (March 2004) and several pathological tissues of cutaneous tumors occurring during the course of the disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only one out of 50 B-CLL blood samples examined was positive for MCPyV DNA. Retrospective analysis revealed that MCPyV DNA was absent in peripheral blood sample at diagnosis, becoming present only in advanced disease stages also in tonsil tissue as well as in a biopsy of differentiated squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association with MCPyV seems to represent a rare and late event during the natural history of B-CLL.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Manola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Comar
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuneo
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maestri
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Melloni
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pozzato
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Soffritti
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Secchiero
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zauli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D059965:Merkel cell polyomavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008875:Middle Aged; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000821:virology; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012867:Skin / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*