What is Newcastle Disease Virus?
Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a virus that causes a deadly infection in many kinds of birds. In humans, NDV causes mild flu-like symptoms or conjunctivitis (an infection of the eye that is also called pink eye) and/or laryngitis (an irritation and swelling of the voice box and the area around it). Like other viruses, NDV infects cells (called host cells) and then uses those cells to replicate (make copies of) itself. Researchers are interested in NDV because it replicates itself more quickly in human cancer cells than in most normal human cells and it can kill the host cells. For these reasons, the virus is being studied as a treatment for cancer. What is the history of the discovery and use of Newcastle disease virus as a complementary or alternative treatment for cancer? The first report that NDV may be useful as a cancer treatment was published in 1964. For 20 years before this report, NDV was used in a vaccine to prevent Newcastle disease in birds. During that time, it was learn
