JC and BK virus sequences are not detectable in leukaemic samples from children with common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Epidemiological evidence suggests that childhood leukaemia, and possibly co mmon acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in particular, may have an infectious ae tiology. Smith (1997 J Immunother 20: 89-100) recently suggested that the c ritical infectious event occurs during pregnancy, and identified the polyom a virus JC as a candidate agent. In the present study we investigated wheth er genomes from the JC virus, and closely related BK virus, could be detect ed in leukaemic cells. No positive results were obtained suggesting that JC virus is unlikely to play a direct role in leukaemogenesis. (C) 1999 Cance r Research Campaign.