Researchers are beginning to suspect that the SV-40 virus has a link with the deadly form of cancer called mesothelioma. While it is commonly accepted that exposure to asbestos causes a mesothelioma diagnosis after a gestation period of 20 years and more, cases of mesothelioma in a two-year old child and in those not remotely exposed to asbestos have forced researchers to look beyond the obvious.
Simium Virus 40, as the name suggests, is a virus that derives from monkeys. The polio vaccine was prepared by growing it on the kidneys of monkeys. Some of these monkeys were infected with SV-40, and the vaccine taken from the infected monkeys spread to the bodies of the persons who received that vaccine.
Since there exists limited knowledge of mesothelioma, scientists continue to study the malignancy by analyzing the tumor of this type of cancer. It was during this type of research that the presence of SV-40 was detected. When it was established that this virus was especially to be found in cases where there was no chance of asbestos exposure, the first indication was felt that this virus itself may be causing the cancer. This also provided perspective to cases where the traditional causes of mesothelioma were absent. The correlation has been established, but significant research will be required to build up enough evidence to support the theory fully.