Genetic variations in CYP2A6, CYP2E1, GSTM1, GSTT1 genes and the risk of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in North African population.

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a multifactorial malignancy associated with both genetic and environmental factors. Polymorphic deletions of the phase I and phase II genes involved in the detoxification of potential carcinogens may be a risk factor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In this study, we investigated the relationship between CYP2E1 (rs3813867), CYP2A6, GSTM1(rs1183423000) and GSTT1(rs1601993659) gene variations and NPC risk in North African countries with the highest incidence of NPC (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). and the evaluation of the potential use of these variants as potential biomarkers for NPC management. METHODS: A total of 600 NPC cases and 545 controls frequency-matched on ethnicity, sex, age and childhood household type, were recruited from three North African countries (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and analysed. Genotyping of CYP2A6 and CYP2E1(rs3813867) was performed by polymerase chain reaction restriction (PCR)-fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and the GSTM1 (rs1183423000) and GSTT1(rs1601993659) genetic variations were evaluated using the PCR technique. RESULTS: The genotype distributions of CYP2E1(rs3813867), CYP2A6, GSTM1(rs1183423000) and GSTT1(rs1601993659) genotypes did not differ significantly among NPC cases and controls (p > 0.05). Furthermore, our data did not reveal any association with smoking and the studied variants, even when the samples were stratified by the duration period of smoking. CONCLUSION: In this large studied North African population, our findings suggest that the functional CYP2E1, CYP2A6, GSTM1 and GSTT1 variations did not influence NPC susceptibility.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA repair genes and the efficacy of radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

Introduction: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes are mainly correlated with the response to radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). In NPC patients, previous research has studied the association between X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 and 3 (XRCC1 and XRCC3) polymorphisms and radio-therapeutic response. The objective of our study was to test the association between XRCC1 Arg399Gln and XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphisms and the response to radiotherapy in the NPC Moroccan population. Material and methods: A total of 100 patients with NPC were genotyped for polymorphisms in XRCC1 and XRCC3 genes. Results: The results revealed that the genotypes and alleles of both SNPs did not show any significant association with clinical stages (for XRCC1 Arg399Gln: p [genotype] = 0.559; p [allele] = 0.440) and (for XRCC3 Thr241Met: p [genotype] = 0.638; p [allele] = 0.567). Moreover, in the study of the association between the polymorphisms and radiotherapy, the response to radiation therapy between genotypes and alleles was not statistically significant (for XRCC1 Arg399Gln p [genotype] = 0.583; p [allele] = 0.459) and (for XRCC3 Thr241Met p [genotype] = 0.660; p [allele] = 0.590). Conclusions: The present study suggests that XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism does not have any impact on the radio-therapeutic response in Moroccan NPC patients whereas XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism may act as a prognostic indicator for NPC patients treated with radiotherapy. However, studies with a larger sample are needed to confirm our results.

The influence of Interleukin-6, Interleukin-8, Interleukin-10, Interleukin-17, TNF-A, MIF, STAT3 on lung cancer risk in Moroccan population.

To date, several studies have reported that key cytokines in the inflammatory system have important roles in the pathogenesis of cancer, notably in lung cancer. The aim of this case-control study, conducted for the first time in Moroccan population, was to investigate and to analyze the association of the following inflammatory cytokine genes Interleukin (IL)-6, Interleukin (IL)-8, Interleukin (IL)-10, Interleukin (IL)-17, Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNFA), Macrophage migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) and Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) with lung cancer risk in our patients. Firstly, the mRNA expression was assessed by a quantitative real time PCR in the peripheral blood of lung cancer patients and healthy subjects. Secondly, polymorphisms in the genes encoding cytokines were assessed in 160 lung cancer patients and 150 healthy controls. Genotyping analysis was performed with a Real-Time polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan® genotyping assays on a 7500 FAST Real-Time PCR System and Restriction Fragment Length PolymorphismPCR. Our results revealed a significant difference in mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17 and TNFA genes in lung cancer patients compared to healthy subjects (P < 0.05). Among the studied genes, we found a significant association between lung cancer risk in our patients and the following polymorphisms IL-6 (rs1800795, rs1800796), IL-8 (rs4075, rs2227306), IL-17F (rs763780, rs2397084) and MIF (rs755622). In conclusion, the results of our study suggest that IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17 and MIF cytokine genes may aggravate lung cancer risk in the Moroccan population. However, further investigations are required to confirm our findings.

Screening of BRCA1/2 variants in Mauritanian breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: Carrying a pathogenic BRCA1/2 variant increases greatly young women's risk of developing breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to provide the first genetic data on BC in Mauritania. METHODS: Using NGS based screening; we searched for BRCA1/2 variants in DNA samples from 137 patients diagnosed for hereditary BC. RESULTS: We identified 16 pathogenic or likely pathogenic (PV) variants carried by 38 patients. Two predominant BRCA1 PV variants were found: c.815_824dup and c.4986 + 6 T > C in 13 and 7 patients, respectively. Interestingly, three novels BRCA1/2 predicted pathogenic variants have also been detected. Notably, no specific distribution of BRCA1/2 variants was observed regarding triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) or patient gender status. CONCLUSIONS: In this first genetic profiling of BC in Mauritania, we identified a substantial number of BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants. This finding could be important in the future diagnosis and prevention policy of hereditary BC in Mauritania.

Association of Variants in IL6-Related Genes with Lung Cancer Risk in Moroccan Population.

PURPOSE: Lung cancer is known to be a complex multifactorial disease, involving both genetic and environmental factors. The study of the different signaling pathways and the identification of the genes involved, will contribute to further understanding the pathogenesis of the disease, thus allowing the development of appropriate targeted treatments. Recently, the link between cancer and inflammation has become more evident and inflammation has been proposed as the seventh hallmark of cancer. Previous studies have suggested that key cytokines involved in inflammation may have an important role in the etiology of lung cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate whether common variants in inflammation-related genes: IL-6, IL6-R, and IL6-ST, influence lung cancer risk in Moroccan population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL-6, IL6-R, and IL6-ST genes were assessed in 120 controls and 120 patients with confirmed lung cancer diagnosis. Genotyping analysis was performed with the TaqMan® allelic discrimination technology. The results were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 software. RESULTS: Among the studied SNPs, we found a significant association for the IL-6 (rs2069840) (OR = 1.63; 95% confidence interval 1.08-2.47; p = 0.01). No significant association was observed for the remaining SNPs of IL-6R (rs2228145) and IL-6ST (rs2228044) genes. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the IL-6 (rs2069840) polymorphism may influence the occurrence of lung cancer in Moroccan patients.

No association between TGF-ß1 polymorphisms and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a large North African case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Genetic susceptibility plays a key role in the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and in fact the disease presents with an unusually high incidence in certain regions of the world like North Africa. We investigated the association between polymorphism of the Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) and risk of NPC in North Africa. TGF-ß1 is a multifunctional cytokine that acts as both a tumor suppressor and a stimulator of cancer development; it has been shown to influence risk of numerous other carcinomas including lung, breast and prostate cancer. METHODS: TGF-ß1 polymorphisms C-509T and T869C were studied in a large North African sample of 384 NPC cases and 361 controls, matched for age, sex and urban or rural residence in childhood. Genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: No association was observed between individual single nucleotide polymorphisms or their haplotypes and NPC susceptibility (for TGF-ß1 C-509T: OR = 0.74; 95 % CI 0.46 - 1.18; for TGF-ß1 T869C: OR = 0.86; 95 % CI 0.56 - 1.31), even when the samples were stratified by age, gender and TNM stage. CONCLUSION: Contrary to what has been observed in Asian samples, in our North African sample, the TGF-ß1 C-509T and T869C polymorphisms did not substantially influence NPC susceptibility.

Molecular characterization of hepatitis C virus core region in moroccan intravenous drug users.

Intravenous drug users (IDUs) represent a highly-infected reservoir for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide, harboring some of the most elevated prevalences and majority of the epidemic in developed nations. Studies aimed at sequencing regions of the viral genome uncovered amino acid mutations, some of which have been implicated in resistance to standard of care pegylated interferon/Ribavirin double therapy. Using the nested PCR method on the Core region of HCV strains in Moroccan IDUs living in the Tangier region this study sought to identify genotype-specific amino acid mutations, followed by Phylogenetic methods in order to compare them with international strains so as to identify sequences of highest homology. Genotyping was confirmed and recombination events excluded by line-probe assay. Italy was found most homologous for genotypes 1a and 3a, Iran for genotype 1a and Egypt for genotype 4a. Amino Acid Mutation analysis revealed the following novel genotype 3a-specific mutations: N16I, L36V, T49A, P71S, T75S, and T110N. The outcome of this work describes the HCV genetic heterogeneity in high-risk intravenous drug users, and it gives clues to the global migratory flow of genotypes as they cross geographical boundaries between various IDU populations and identifies "signature" amino acid mutations traceable to HCV genotype 3a. Identification of key amino acid positions in the HCV Core region with higher rates of mutations paves the way for eventual clinical trials seeking to establish a link between these recurrent mutations and response to standard of care Interferon and Ribavirin antiviral therapy. J. Med. Virol. 88:1376-1383, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Weight status, fatness and body image perception of North African immigrant women in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the nutritional status of North African (NA) immigrant women in Italy, analysing their body size, adiposity and body image perception in comparison to Italian natives and NA residents. DESIGN: The study utilized a cross-sectional design. Anthropometric traits were directly measured and a few indices were computed as proxy measures of nutritional status and adiposity. Body image perception was assessed using silhouette drawings. ANCOVA, adjusted for age, was used to compare anthropometric traits among different groups of women and the χ 2 test to analyse differences in the prevalence of nutritional status. SETTING: Italy and North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco). SUBJECTS: A sample of 433 women aged 18-60 years old: NA immigrants (n 105); Italians (n 100); Tunisians (n 104); Moroccans (n 124). RESULTS: Overweight/obesity prevalence was very high in immigrants (79·8 %). Immigrants had the highest BMI value, the greatest hip circumference and mid upper-arm circumference. Their triceps skinfold thickness was significantly higher than that of Italians, but lower than that of NA residents. CONCLUSIONS: NA immigrant women in Italy showed a higher incidence of overweight compared with Italians and NA residents. All groups showed a preference for a thinner body in comparison to their actual bodies and the immigrants are the most dissatisfied. Immigrants remain a high-risk group for obesity. Assessment of their body composition and health risk profile should be improved by using specific anthropometric measures that are easy to collect even in the case of large migration flows.

Consanguinity and genetic diseases in North Africa and immigrants to Europe.

Endemic diseases are caused by environmental and genetic factors. While in this special issue several chapters deal with environmental factors, including infections, the present focus is on genetic causes of disease clustering due to inbreeding and recessive disease mechanisms. Consanguinity is implying sharing of genetic heritage because of marriage between close relatives originating from a common ancestor. With limited natural selection, recessive genes may become more frequent in an inbred compared with an outbred population. Consanguinity is common in North Africa (NA), and the estimates range from 40 to 49% of all marriages in Tunisia and 29-33% in Morocco. As a consequence, recessive disorders are common in the NA region, and we give some examples. Thalassaemia and sickle cell disease/anaemia constitute the most common inherited recessive disorders globally and they are common in NA, but with immigration they have spread to Europe and to other parts of the world. Another example is familial Mediterranean fever, which is common in the Eastern Mediterranean area. With immigrantion from that area to Sweden, it has become the most common hereditary autoinflammatory disease in that country, and there is no evidence that any native Swede would have been diagnosed with this disease. The examples discussed in this chapter show that the historic movement of populations and current immigration are influencing the concept of 'endemic' disease.

Cancer in immigrants as a pointer to the causes of cancer.

The early cancer studies on immigrants, which started to appear some 50 years ago, showed that the incidence in cancers changes to the level of the new host country in one or two generations. These findings were fundamental to the understanding of the environmental etiology of human cancer. Many immigrant groups originate from countries with no cancer registration, and, hence, the immigrant studies may provide estimates on the indigenous cancer rates. The Swedish Family-Cancer Database has been an important source of data for immigrant studies on various diseases. The Database covers the Swedish population of the past 100 years, and it records the country of birth for each subject. A total of 1.79 million individuals were foreign born, Finns and other Scandinavians being the largest immigrant groups. Over the course of years, some 30 publications have appeared relating to cancer in immigrants. In the present article, we will review more recent immigrant studies, mainly among Swedish immigrants, on all cancers and emphasize the differences between ethnic groups. In the second part, we discuss the problem of reliable registration of cancer and compare cancer incidence among non-European immigrants with cancer incidence in countries of origin, as these have now active cancer registries. We discuss the experiences in cancer registration in Morocco and Egypt. We show the usefulness and limitations in predicting cancer incidence in the countries of origin.

Emigration flows from North Africa to Europe.

The region of North Africa (NA) represents a striking locality regarding migration with several migration patterns, namely emigration in the form of labour export to Europe and North America and, to a lesser extent, to the Arab Gulf area. The latter has increased enormously in the last decade because of the political instability in most of the NA countries. The aim of the present chapter was to explore the patterns of migration stocks and flows in NA countries, based on several websites, systematic review of journals, comparable data available by the United Nations and by the International Organization of Migration. The NA region has become an area of transit migration and labour migration. Emigrant flows from NA countries towards Europe and North America are increasing this decade more than towards the Arab Gulf countries after being replaced by Asian labour. The recent increase in the proportion of women among the migrant population is remarkable. Remittances sent by African migrants have become an important source of external finance for countries of origin. Transient and irregular migration to Egypt originates at the borders with Sudan, Palestine and Libya with destination to the Euro Mediterranean countries. In Tunisia and Morocco, irregular migrants originate from Sub-Saharan Africa to the northern borders. The NA countries serve as departure rather than destination countries, and migration flows to the Euro-Mediterranean countries through legal or illegal routes.

Obesity and physical activity in children of immigrants.

Childhood overweight and obesity have increased in recent decades, reaching alarming proportions. Children with a migrant background seem to be particularly at risk of developing overweight and obesity. This article provides an overview of the prevalence of overweight or obesity among North African (NA) children living in their own countries or as immigrants in Europe. The aim is to show the effect of the migration process on this trend and to discuss its possible contributing factors. Publications were identified by a systematic search of PubMed and the existing literature. Original longitudinal or cross-sectional studies on the prevalence of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity and of physical activity among ethnic groups from North Africa compared with the native population were reviewed. The results confirmed that children of NA origin in Europe have higher levels of overweight and obesity than the native ones, especially girls. However, this trend can also be detected in urban areas of NA countries. Important factors contributing to the increase of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents are discussed, in particular the westernization of eating habits, the level of physical activity and body image perception. The review shows that factors linked to acculturation in the host society and others maintained from the country of origin come into play in determining childhood overweight and obesity among NA immigrants in Europe. The importance of health promotion targeting the groups most at risk of childhood overweight and obesity, i.e. aspects of a healthy diet and the benefits of physical activity, is underlined.

Infectious diseases in North Africa and North African immigrants to Europe.

The epidemiological transition has reduced infectious diseases mortality in most European countries, yet increased migrant influx risks importing diseases. All reported prevalence rates must be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the disease in question, respective European Union (EU) country and migratory patterns at work. Tuberculosis has seen a re-emergence in Europe and is concentrated among migrants. Migrants arriving from North Africa (NA) and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) carry higher rates of hepatitis C and B than the local EU population. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impact of NA migrants to Europe is very low but a hallmark of the HIV epidemic is the penetration and circulation of non-B strains, recombinant forms and HIV-drug-resistant profiles through SSA migrants using NA as a transit point into Europe. Leishmaniasis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease prevalent to Southern Europe although not specifically isolated in migrant groups. Although not endemic in NA countries, malaria represent S: a risk in terms of re-emergence in Europe through transitory migrants arriving from SSA with the destination to Europe. Schistosomiasis has been largely eliminated from NA. High migrant flux into European countries has resulted in changing patterns of communicable disease and collectively requires a continuous surveillance. World Health Organization guidelines recommend targeted screening and preventative vaccination, followed by integration of migrants into the local health-care systems allowing for long-term treatment and follow-up. Finally, effective public health campaigns as a form of prevention are essential for the mitigation of disease dissemination in the migrant pool and for second-generation children of migrants.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults from North Africa.

The share of North African immigrants in Europe is growing continuously. In this review, we aimed to systematically analyse and describe the literature on weight status and physical activity in North African adults, both in their home country and after immigration to Europe. Existing data on North African residents and on North African immigrants in Europe were analysed by a systematic search on PUBMED. There is a wide variation among countries in the prevalence of overweight/obesity, with immigrants showing higher values. The overall results revealed a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity in females than in males in North African residents. Females also show higher levels of obesity among immigrants. In particular, literature reports indicate that 1.3-47.8% of North African residents and 3.6-49.4% of North African immigrants in adult age are overweight or obese. Physical inactivity is higher than 20% in males and 40% in females in North African residents. The highest frequency of physically inactive or lightly active people among immigrants was observed in first-generation Sudanese and Moroccans in Amsterdam (males: 57.1%; females: 74.2%), with increasing rates in second-generation females. The results underline a higher health risk in North African immigrants than in residents. Specific public health strategies should be adopted in various populations of North African origin to control the obesity epidemic.

Overview on health research ethics in Egypt and North Africa.

Developing countries, including Egypt and North African countries, need to improve their quality of research by enhancing international cooperation and exchanges of scientific information, as well as competing for obtaining international funds to support research activities. Research must comply with laws and other requirements for research that involves human subjects. The purpose of this article is to overview the status of health research ethics in Egypt and North African countries, with reference to other Middle Eastern countries. The EU and North African Migrants: Health and Health Systems project (EUNAM) has supported the revision of the status of health research ethics in Egypt and North African countries, by holding meetings and discussions to collect information about research ethics committees in Egypt, and revising the structure and guidelines of the committees, as well as reviewing the literature concerning ethics activities in the concerned countries. This overview has revealed that noticeable efforts have been made to regulate research ethics in certain countries in the Middle East. This can be seen in the new regulations, which contain the majority of protections mentioned in the international guidelines related to research ethics. For most of the internationally registered research ethics committees in North African countries, the composition and functionality reflect the international guidelines. There is growing awareness of research ethics in these countries, which extends to teaching efforts to undergraduate and postgraduate medical students.

Development and validation of the first HBV qRT-PCR assay in the Mediterranean area targeting the X region.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global public health burden and affects approximatively 300 million people around the world. Since, HBV population is represented with genetic diversity, having different viral effects. Development of a new prognosis method play a key role on the efficiency of the different treatment. The HBx protein of HBV has a potential role in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), which makes it a valuable target for HCC prognosis. In this context, the first quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay in the Mediterranean area was developed and validated. Specific primers and probes of a conserved X region across all HBV genotypes were designed and the qRT-PCR was performed with the TaqPath 1-Step Multiplex Master Mix on 441 Moroccan plasma samples in Pasteur Institute of Morocco. The assay demonstrated a linear quantification range of 1010-101 IU/reaction (R2 = 0.99) and a quantification limit of 15 IU/mL. Comparative evaluations with the COBAS Ampliprep/COBAS TaqMan (CAP/CTM) HBV, v2.0 and the artus HBV QS-RGQ assays showed strong correlations (R2 = 0.92 and R2 = 0.89, respectively). Our test is fast, highly sensitive, specific, reproducible, and labor-saving. This system will be of great advantage to Mediterranean countries in their efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis B and C by 2030, enabling precise monitoring and effective treatment of HBV infections.

A regionally based precision medicine implementation initiative in North Africa:The PerMediNA consortium.

Precision Medicine is being increasingly used in the developed world to improve health care. While several Precision Medicine (PM) initiatives have been launched worldwide, their implementations have proven to be more challenging particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To address this issue, the "Personalized Medicine in North Africa" initiative (PerMediNA) was launched in three North African countries namely Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. PerMediNA is coordinated by Institut Pasteur de Tunis together with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, with the support of Institut Pasteur in France. The project is carried out along with Institut Pasteur d'Algérie and Institut Pasteur du Maroc in collaboration with national and international leading institutions in the field of PM including Institut Gustave Roussy in Paris. PerMediNA aims to assess the readiness level of PM implementation in North Africa, to strengthen PM infrastructure, to provide workforce training, to generate genomic data on North African populations, to implement cost effective, affordable and sustainable genetic testing for cancer patients and to inform policy makers on how to translate research knowledge into health products and services. Gender equity and involvement of young scientists in this implementation process are other key goals of the PerMediNA project. In this paper, we are describing PerMediNA as the first PM implementation initiative in North Africa. Such initiatives contribute significantly in shortening existing health disparities and inequities between developed and developing countries and accelerate access to innovative treatments for global health.

Analysis of mutations in the E6 oncogene of human papillomavirus 16 in cervical cancer isolates from Moroccan women.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) play a crucial role in the etiology of cervical cancer and the most prevalent genotype is HPV16. HPV 16 intratypic variants have been reported to differ in their prevalence, biological and biochemical properties. The present study was designed to analyze and identify HPV type 16 E6 variants among patients with cervical cancer in Morocco. METHODS: A total of 103 HPV16 positive samples were isolated from 129 cervical cancer cases, and variant status was subsequently determined by DNA sequencing of the E6 gene. RESULTS: Isolates from patients were grouped into the European (E), African (Af) and North-American (NA1) phylogenetic clusters with a high prevalence of E lineage (58.3%). The Af and NA1 variants were detected in 31.1% and 11.6% of the HPV16 positive specimens, respectively, whereas, only 3% of cases were prototype E350T. No European-Asian (EA), Asian (As) or Asian-American (AA) variants were observed in our HPV16-positive specimens. At the amino acid level, the most prevalent non-synonymous variants were L83V (T350G), H78Y (C335T), E113D (A442C), Q14D (C143G/G145T) and R10I (G132T), and were observed respectively in 65%, 41.8%, 38.8%, 30.1% and 23.3% of total samples.Moreover, HPV16 European variants were mostly identified in younger women at early clinical diagnosis stages. Whereas, HPV16 Af variants were most likely associated with cervical cancer development in older women with pronounced aggressiveness. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a predominance of E lineage strains among Moroccan HPV 16 isolates and raises the possibility that HPV16 variants have a preferential role in progression to malignancy and could be associated with the more aggressive nature of cervical cancer.

Prevalence of Polyomaviruses and Herpesviruses in Moroccan Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide, accounting for 24.5% of total new cancer cases and 15.5% of total cancer deaths. Similarly, BC is the most common cancer among Moroccan women, comprising a noteworthy percentage of 40% of all cancers in women. Globally, 15% of cancers are attributable to infections; among them, viruses play a significant role. The present study aimed to explore the presence of a wide range of viral DNA in samples recovered from 76 Moroccan patients with BC and 12 controls using Luminex technology. The explored viruses were as follows: 10 polyomaviruses (PyVs): BKV, KIV, JCV, MCV, WUV, TSV, HPyV6, HPyV7, HPyV9, and SV40; and 5 Herpesviruses (HHVs): CMV, EBV1, EBV2, HSV1, and HSV2. Our results revealed the presence of PyVs DNA in both control (16.7%) and BC tissues (18.4%). Nonetheless, HHV DNA was detected exclusively in BC tissues (23.7%), with a predominance of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (21%). In conclusion, our study highlights the presence of EBV in human BC tissues, which may play an important role in its development and/or progression. Further investigations are needed to confirm the presence/co-presence of these viruses in BC.