Thomas F., Elguero Eric, Brodeur J., Le Goff J., Missé Dorothée. (2011). Herpes simplex virus type 2 and cancer : a medical geography approach. Infection Genetics and Evolution, 11 (6), 1239-1242. ISSN 1567-1348.
Titre du document
Herpes simplex virus type 2 and cancer : a medical geography approach
Thomas F., Elguero Eric, Brodeur J., Le Goff J., Missé Dorothée
Source
Infection Genetics and Evolution, 2011,
11 (6), 1239-1242 ISSN 1567-1348
Herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) has been identified as a possible aetiological agent of cancer in humans, especially prostate cancer, but results remain controversial. Here, we have addressed this question using a medical geography approach based on the national incidence of various cancers and seroprevalence of HSV-2 in 64 countries worldwide. We corrected reports of cancer incidence for national gross domestic product (GDP) because living in a wealthy nation likely increases the probability of having a cancer detected. Data were also corrected for latitude and diet. Our analysis not only confirms that prostate cancer and HSV-2 seroprevalence are positively associated, but it also reveals the existence of a positive relationship between HSV-2 and melanoma incidence in both men and women. These results, though correlational, suggest that HSV-2 should continue to be investigated as a possible oncogenic pathogen of humans.
