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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Ex Vivo Infection of Murine Epidermis with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1
Published on: August 24, 2015
Herpes simplex virus type 2 and cancer: a medical geography approach
Frédéric Thomas1, Eric Elguero, Jacques Brodeur
1IRD, MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM), 911 Ave. Agropolis, BP 64501, FR-34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. frederic.thomas2@ird.fr
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.
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