[Epidemiology and nature of the association between herpesviruses (EBV and herpes simplex) and several human tumors. Recent results].

The association between EBV and two human tumours (BL and NPC) is presented. The BL prospective study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer is progressing well, and up to date 10 pre-BL sera have been available and tested. The results show that not only every serum has VCA antibodies 7 to 31 months prior to tumour development, but that the VCA titres of such pre-BL sera appear higher than that of various age-sex matched controls. These preliminary results would favour a chronic and heavy EBV infection as a risk factor for BL. The role of co-factors, such as malaria, is discussed together with proposals of anti-malaria partial suppression scheme. The association between HSV-2 and cervical carcinoma is weaker, and HSV-2 infection could become an epidemiological marker, rather than an etiological agent for the tumour.