Some viruses have been linked to human cancer. For example, hepatitis B virus is linked to hepatoma, a type of liver cancer. Burkitt's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph tissues, may be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. In addition, some leukemias are caused by human retroviruses. Virus diseases in animals.
Viruses cause hundreds of diseases in animals.
Most virus diseases in animals occur in certain species. But some of the diseases spread to other species, and a few of them infect human beings. For example, dogs can give people rabies, which destroys nerve cells. Certain viruses can cause cancer in animals. These viruses do not destroy all the cells they infect.