Simian virus 40 can induce cancers in hamsters - GreenMedInfo Summary

Simian virus 40 (SV40) is a DNA tumour virus which is highly oncogenic in hamsters. Only specific histologic types of tumours develop in hamsters injected with SV40, and these are influenced by the route of virus inoculation. When SV40 is injected systemically to expose most different cell types to the virus, the animals develop mesotheliomas, osteosarcomas, sarcomas, and lymphomas within six months. When the virus is injected subcutaneously, sarcomas at the site of injection develop. If hamsters are injected intracranially with SV40, they develop ependymomas. These same tumour types have been found to contain SV40.