CLINICAL EVENTS SUGGESTING HERPES-SIMPLEX INFECTION BEFORE ONSET OF BURKITT'S LYMPHOMA. A Case-control Study in West Nile, Uganda

Thirty cases of Burkitt's lymphoma and thirty age and sex matched controls were interviewed in West Nile, Uganda. Ten of the cases, but only one of the controls, had a history of oral vesicles or ulcers or an injury at the site of the tumour within the preceding 3 months (P<0·01). Three more cases gave a history of recent unilateral conjunctivitis, "measles", or a high fever just before tumour onset. These histories are compatible with Herpes simplex infection just before tumour onset, and the possibility of this or another virus acting as a trigger for the tumour is discussed. Serological and virus isolation studies are in progress using materials collected during the study. © 1973.