A letter to the Journal of Infection looks at whether SARS-CoV-2 could be cancer causing.

Highlights:

• Npa2 and Npa3 SARS-CoV-2 protein have the ability to hijack and degrade p53
• Gene expression of p53 is downregulated in blood of COVID-19 patients.
• Downregulation of p53 persists at least 24 weeks after infection in long COVID-19 patients
• Long-term reduction of p53 could have impact on carcinogenesis.

Letter to the Journal of Infection