Chronic Illness & Cancer In the United States, 70 percent of all
deaths are due to chronic diseases. Until recently their
biological causes were mostly unknown. Today, growing evidence
suggests that infections are behind many chronic diseases once
thought to be caused by genetic, environmental, or lifestyle
factors. For scientists there are tantalizing clues that a
seemingly chronic disease may be infectious. The human
papillomavirus (HPV) , for instance, causes more than 90 percent
of cervical cancer cases. The hepatitis B virus accounts for
more than 60 percent of liver cancer cases. The hepatitis C
virus causes cirrhosis , end-stage liver disease, and liver
cancer. Human herpesvirus 8 causes Kaposi’s sarcoma, a malignant
complication of AIDS. Helicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped
bacterium, is the agent of peptic ulcers and gastric cancer.
These examples may be just the tip of the iceberg. Clues to
Infection For scientists there are tantalizing clues that a
seemingly chronic disease may be infectious. When