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Study finds cancer-causing viruses emerging from wastewater

EuroNews · · 520 words · By Stefania De Michele
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/05/20/cancer-oncogenic-viruses-found-in-…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

12 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 4
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
schedule Pending 2
verified Verified 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
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“A new study has detected all major human cancer-causing viruses in wastewater”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web search results explicitly state that the study detected all known cancer-causing/oncogenic viruses in wastewater.
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web search NEUTRAL — An oncovirus or oncogenic virus is a virus that can cause cancer.[4] This term originated from studies of acutely transforming retroviruses in the 1950–60s,[5] when the term oncornaviruses was used to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncovirus
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web search NEUTRAL — The study detected all known cancer-causing viruses in wastewater across Texas. Among those detected are HPV, hepatitis B and C viruses and cancer-associated human polyomaviruses.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-cancer-linked-viruses…
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web search NEUTRAL — In a new study, researchers are the first to show a comprehensive approach can detect all known oncogenic viruses concurrently by analyzing viral genomes in wastewater.
https://www.labcompare.com/617-News/625664-Team-Tracks-Multi…
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“The study, coordinated by Anthony Maresso and Justin Clark of the Baylor College of Medicine and published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, was carried out in collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the collaboration between Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and identify Justin Clark and Anthony Maresso as researchers involved.
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web search NEUTRAL — 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-causin…
https://www.brightsurf.com/news/LMJR0DEL/study-is-first-to-d…
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web search NEUTRAL — Baylor College of Medicine. Department of Molecular Virology & Microbiology. Justin Clark.Anthony W. Maresso. The human gastrointestinal mucosal surface consists of a eukaryotic epithelium, a prokaryo…
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin-Clark-4
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web search NEUTRAL — Stories from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston).Two laboratory technicians at Baylor College of Medicine prepare samples to isolate DNA for sequencing. (Photo …
https://www.uth.edu/news/story/avian-flu-found-in-wastewater…
info
“The researchers analysed wastewater samples collected between May 2022 and May 2025 at more than 40 sites across 16 cities in Texas, covering around a quarter of the state’s population.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general study is corroborated, the specific details regarding the date range (May 2022 to May 2025), the number of sites (40+), and the population percentage (25%) are not explicitly detailed in the provided evidence snippets, though they align with the context of the study.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — American Water Works Company, Inc. is an American public utility company that, through its subsidiaries, provides water and wastewater services in the United States. Its regulated operations provide …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Water_Works
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant is a wastewater treatment plant in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It serves the city of Baltimore, which owns and operates the facility, as well as Balti…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_River_Wastewater_Treatmen…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colossus is a supercomputer developed by xAI. Construction began in 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee; the system became operational in July 2024. It is currently the world's largest AI supercomputer. Coloss…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_(supercomputer)
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“For the analysis they used an advanced genetic sequencing technology known as “hybrid-capture”, capable of identifying simultaneously more than 3,000 known human viruses and new possible mutations through a single test.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of generic study tool advertisements and Wikipedia entries for 'The' and 'Presidents of the US', which are irrelevant. No specific evidence for 'hybrid-capture' sequencing in this study was found in the snippets.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. Under the U.S. Constitution, the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_Unit…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is the definite article in English. The, or THE, may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_(disambiguation)
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“According to the authors of the study, oncogenic viruses may be responsible for around one in five cancers worldwide.”
VERIFIED
A research PDF explicitly states that oncogenic viruses are responsible for approximately 15–20% of human cancers worldwide.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Carcinogenesis, also called oncogenesis or tumorigenesis, is the formation of a cancer, whereby normal cells are transformed into cancer cells. The process is characterized by changes at the cellular,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcinogenesis
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Essentially a metabolic, phosphate-wasting disorder (not cancer), oncogenic osteomalacia, also known as tumor-induced osteomalacia/hypophosphatemic osteomalacia, is an uncommon disorder resulting in i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncogenic_osteomalacia
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A retrovirus is a virus that inserts a DNA copy of its RNA genome into the DNA of a host cell that it invades, thus changing the genome of that cell. After invading a host cell's cytoplasm, the virus …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrovirus
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“Among the best known are human papillomavirus (HPV), associated with cervical and throat cancers, and hepatitis B and C viruses, linked to liver carcinoma.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and official health sources confirm HPV is associated with cervical and throat cancers, and Hepatitis B/C are linked to liver carcinoma.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — HPV is human papillomavirus, a virus which causes human papillomavirus infection (HPV infection). HPV may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HPV_(disambiguation)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are vaccines intended to provide acquired immunity against infection by certain types of human papillomavirus. The first HPV vaccine became available in 2006. Curre…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HPV_vaccine
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Human papillomavirus infection (HPV infection) is an infection caused by a DNA virus from the Papillomaviridae family. Many HPV infections cause no symptoms and 90% resolve spontaneously within two ye…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_papillomavirus_infection
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“The analysis of wastewater detected all the main oncogenic viruses known to date, including HPV, hepatitis B and C viruses, cancer-associated polyomaviruses, Epstein-Barr virus and the herpesvirus linked to Kaposi’s sarcoma.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources confirm the detection of HPV, hepatitis B and C, Epstein-Barr virus, and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in the wastewater analysis.
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web search NEUTRAL — Epstein–Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative diseases."Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated epithelial and non-epithelial lesions of the oral cavity". The Japanese Dental Science Review.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epstein–Barr_virus
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web search NEUTRAL — Comprehensive wastewater analysis across Texas detected all known oncogenic viruses, including HPV, hepatitis B and C, Epstein-Barr virus, and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, with increasing …
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-cancer-linked-viruses…
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web search NEUTRAL — The researchers also detected Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, which are linked to several cancers such as Hodgkin lymphoma and rare blood cancers.
https://www.labcompare.com/617-News/625664-Team-Tracks-Multi…
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“In particular, HPV, Epstein-Barr virus and some polyomaviruses showed marked rises after 2024.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources explicitly state that HPV, EBV, and certain polyomaviruses showed clear upward trends with sharp increases after 2024.
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web search NEUTRAL — The Epstein–Barr virus was named after M. A. Epstein and Yvonne Barr, who discovered the virus together with Bert Achong.[83][84] In 1961, Epstein, a pathologist and expert electron microscopist, atte…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epstein–Barr_virus
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web search NEUTRAL — “HPV, EBV and certain polyomaviruses stood out because they showed clear upward trends, with particularly sharp increases after 2024. It’s not clear what led to this viral increase in wastewater.
https://www.brightsurf.com/news/LMJR0DEL/study-is-first-to-d…
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web search NEUTRAL — Overall, the abundance of multiple oncogenic viruses increased in the 3-year time period studied. However, HPV, EBV and certain polyomaviruses stood out to the researchers because they showed clear up…
https://www.labcompare.com/617-News/625664-Team-Tracks-Multi…
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“HPV-16 and HPV-18 together cause more than 70% of cervical cancers worldwide.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results to confirm or deny the specific percentage of cervical cancers caused by HPV-16 and HPV-18.
help
“high-risk variants also recorded a significant increase between late 2024 and early 2025.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding the increase of high-risk variants between late 2024 and early 2025.
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“HPV-16 was consistently more common than HPV-18”
PENDING
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“all nine HPV types targeted by the jab [Gardasil 9] were detected in wastewater.”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.