[Polyomavirus newly discovered].

Three new polyoma viruses have been recently identified; two of them, the KI et WU viruses are present in nasopharyngeal aspirates during the course of acute respiratory infections. The incidence of these viruses is low compared to other respiratory viruses and the disease has not shown a high severity of clinical signs. The physiopathology of the diseases and the mode of cultivation of these viruses remain unknown. The third virus was discovered from cutaneous biopsies of Merkel tumours with a higher incidence than in tissue from healthy patients. Its mode of transmission and its role in the cancerogenesis need more studies. However, as the virus can integrate into the cellular DNA, it signifies that the virus may have a role in various human tumors.