How a fog-delayed flight led to the discovery of a human cancer virus
In short: In 1963, a shipment of medical samples from Uganda was diverted by heavy fog. What appeared to be a contaminated, cloudy mess was actually a scientific breakthrough. This accidental discovery led Sir Anthony Epstein to identify the first human cancer-causing virus, forever changing the landscape of modern oncology and virology.
In the early 1960s, the idea that viruses could trigger human cancers was deeply unfashionable. Sir Anthony Epstein, a pathologist trained at Middlesex Hospital Medical School, shifted his focus from studying cancer viruses in chickens to investigating a specific tumor found in Ugandan children. This tumor, first identified by surgeon Denis Burkitt, was characterized by the rapid multiplication of white bloods cells.
The breakthrough arrived through a moment of serendipity. Heavy fog forced a December 1963 cargo of tumours, travelling from Uganda to London, to land in Manchester instead. When the samples finally reached London, they appeared ruined; the fluid was cloudy, leading researchers to fear bacterial contamination. However, upon microscopic inspection, Epstein and Yvonne Barr discovered the cloudiness was actually caused by free-floating lymphoma cells. This achievement provided the first culture of human lymphocytic cells, known as 'EB' cells.
Using an early electron microscope, Epstein and research assistant Bert Achong identified viral particles within these cells. Scientists identified this as the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), marking the initial discovery of a human cancer-causing virus. While EBV is often silently contracted in infancy—with over 90% of adults worldwide carrying it—its impact is profound. It is associated with glandular fever, certain stomach cancers, and roughly 40% of Hodgkin lymphomas. It has even been implicated in more recent studies regarding multiple sclerosis and long Covid.
Proving the link between EBV and cancer required immense persistence. It took more than a decade and a study of over 42,000 participants to provide convincing evidence of its role in human malignancy. Epstein's work laid the essential groundwork for understanding other oncogenic viruses, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV).
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Obituary: Sir Anthony Epstein 1921-2024 - Wolfson College
- Also: Anthony Epstein
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