Merkel cell polyomavirus infection and Merkel cell carcinoma

•MCPyV infection is highly prevalent in the general population.•In elderly and immunosuppressed individuals, MCPyV can cause Merkel cell carcinoma.•LT and sT antigens are the key oncogenes that drive MCPyV-induced tumorigenesis.•Human dermal fibroblasts support productive MCPyV infection in human skin.•Induction of MMPs by growth factors and WNT signaling stimulates MCPyV infection.•Understanding how MCPyV escapes immune surveillance is critical for treating MCC. Merkel cell polyomavirus is the only polyomavirus discovered to date that is associated with a human cancer. MCPyV infection is highly prevalent in the general population. Nearly all healthy adults asymptomatically shed MCPyV from their skin. However, in elderly and immunosuppressed individuals, the infection can lead to a lethal form of skin cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma. In the last few years, new findings have established links between MCPyV infection, host immune response, and Merkel cell carcinoma development. This review discusses these recent discoveries on how MCPyV interacts with host cells to achieve persistent infection and, in the immunocompromised population, contributes to MCC development.