Publications by authors named "E Kawira"
Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is responsible for many childhood cancers in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is linked to recurrent or chronic infection by Epstein-Barr virus or Plasmodium falciparum. However, whether human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms, which regulate immune response, are associated with BL has not been well investigated, which limits our understanding of BL etiology. Here we investigate this association among 4,645 children aged 0-15 years, 800 with BL, enrolled in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Malawi.
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- In high-income countries, mosaic chromosomal changes in blood cells are linked to a higher risk of serious health issues, including blood cancers.
- A study in Ghana analyzed 931 children with Burkitt lymphoma, along with a control group of 3822 Burkitt-free kids and 674 cancer-free men, revealing different rates of chromosomal alterations between these groups.
- The findings suggest that certain chromosomal changes are more prevalent in children with Burkitt lymphoma and introduce the need for further research on chromosomal alterations in sub-Saharan African populations.
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers studied 800 BL patients and 3,845 controls across four East African countries to see if genetic traits that protect against malaria also protect against BL, focusing on specific gene variants.
- * Findings showed that the sickle cell gene variant (HBB-rs334(T)) was linked to lower risks of both malaria infection and BL, suggesting a possible connection between malaria and the development of Burkitt lymphoma.
Genotypes and Risk of Childhood Burkitt Lymphoma in East Africa.
J Interferon Cytokine Res
September 2023
Interferon lambda 4 (IFN-λ4) is a novel type-III interferon that can be expressed only by carriers of the genetic variant rs368234815-dG within the first exon of the gene. Genetic inability to produce IFN-λ4 (in carriers of the rs368234815-TT/TT genotype) has been associated with improved clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The IFN-λ4-expressing rs368234815-dG allele (-dG) is most common (up to 78%) in West sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), compared to 35% of Europeans and 5% of individuals from East Asia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is a pediatric cancer coendemic with malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, suggesting an etiological link between them. However, previous cross-sectional studies of limited geographic areas have not found a convincing association. We used spatially detailed data from the Epidemiology of Burkitt Lymphoma in East African Children and Minors (EMBLEM) study to assess this relationship.
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