MWPyV was discovered in 2012 and independently reported by three different research groups under the names "Malawi polyomavirus", "Mexico polyomavirus", and "Human polyomavirus 10". The first group to publish gave the virus the "Malawi" designation based on the geographic location of the index case, a healthy child from Malawi; the designation "MW polyomavirus" has been included in the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses proposed classification of polyomaviruses. It was the 10th human polyomavirus to be discovered.
