title: Herpes simplex virus type 2 and cancer: a medical geography approach.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: IRD, MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM), 911 Ave. Agropolis, BP 64501, FR-34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. frederic.thomas2@ird.fr
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elguero
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brodeur
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Le Goff
authors.forename: Dorothée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Missé
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult