Cancer-linked viruses are showing up in Texas wastewater, opening a new path for public health

A study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology is the first comprehensive approach to detect all known cancer-causing or oncogenic viruses concurrently by analyzing viral genomes in wastewater. The work, a collaboration between Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, shows that it is feasible to monitor the presence and levels of cancer-causing viruses, enabling the possibility of public health interventions in the future.