Browsing by Author "Kawira, Esther"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    African Burkitt Lymphoma: Age-Specific Risk and Correlations with Malaria Biomarkers
    (The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2011) Emmanuel, Benjamin; Kawira, Esther; Ogwang, Martin D.; Wabinga, Henry; Magatti, Josiah; Nkrumah, Francis; Neequaye, Janet; Bhatia, Kishor; Brubaker, Glen; Biggar, Robert J.; Mbulaiteye, Sam M.
    African Burkitt lymphoma is an aggressive B-cell, non-Hodgkin lymphoma linked to Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Malaria biomarkers related to onset of African Burkitt lymphoma are unknown. We correlated agespecific patterns of 2,602 cases of African Burkitt lymphoma (60% male, mean ± SD age = 7.1 ± 2.9 years) from Uganda, Ghana, and Tanzania with malaria biomarkers published from these countries. Age-specific patterns of this disease and mean multiplicity of P. falciparum malaria parasites, defined as the average number of distinct genotypes per positive blood sample based on the merozoite surface protein-2 assessed by polymerase chain reaction, were correlated and both peaked between 5 and 9 years. This pattern, which was strong and consistent across regions, contrasted parasite prevalence, which peaked at 2 years and decreased slightly, and geometric mean parasite density, which peaked between 2 and 3 years and decreased sharply. Our findings suggest that concurrent infection with multiple malaria genotypes may be related to onset of African Burkitt lymphoma.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Mean platelet counts are relatively decreased with malaria but relatively increased with endemic Burkitt Lymphoma in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya
    (British journal of haematology, 2020) Peprah, Sally; Ogwang, Martin D.; Kerchan, Patrick; Reynolds, Steven J.; Tenge, Constance N.; Were, Pamela A.; Kuremu, Robert T.; Wekesa, Walter N.; Masalu, Nestory; Kawira, Esther; Kinyera, Tobias; Otim, Isaac; Legason, Ismail D.; Nabalende, Hadijah; Dhudha, Herry; Mumia, Mediatrix; Ayers, Leona W.; Biggar, Robert J.; Bhatia, Kishor; Goedert, James J.; Mbulaiteye, Sam M.
    Platelet counts are decreased in Plasmodium falciparum malaria, which is aetiologically linked with endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL). However, the pattern of platelet counts in eBL cases is unknown. We studied platelet counts in 582 eBL cases and 2 248 controls enrolled in a case-control study in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya (2010–2016). Mean platelet counts in controls or eBL cases with or without malaria-infection in controls versus eBLcases were compared using Student’s t-test. Odds ratios (ORs) and two-sided 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated using multiple logistic regression, controlling for age, sex, haemoglobin and white blood cell counts. Platelets were decreased with malaria infection in the controls [263 vs. 339 9 109 platelets/l, P < 0 0001; adjusted OR (aOR) = 3 42, 95% CI: 2 79–4 18] and eBL cases (314 vs. 367 9 109 platelets/ l, P-value = 0 002; aOR = 2 36, 95% CI: 1 49–3 73). Unexpectedly, platelets were elevated in eBL cases versus controls in overall analyses (mean: 353 vs. 307 9 109 platelets/l, P < 0 0001; aOR = 1 41; 95% CI: 1 12–1 77), and when restricted to malaria-positive (mean 314 vs. 263 9 109 platelets/ l, P < 0 0001; OR = 2 26; 95% CI: 1 56–3 27) or malaria-negative (mean 367 vs. 339 9 109 platelets/l, P < 0 001; OR = 1 46; 95% CI: 1 17–1 83) subjects. Platelets were decreased with malaria infection in controls and eBL cases but elevated with eBL.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Risk factors for Burkitt lymphoma in children in East Africa
    (Research Square, 2019) Peprah, Sally; Ogwang, Martin D.; Kerchan, Patrick; Reynolds, Steven J.; Tenge, Constance N.; Were, Pamela A.; Kuremu, Robert T.; Wekesa, Walter N.; Sumb, Peter O.; Masalu, Nestory; Kawira, Esther; Magatti, Josiah; Kinyera, Tobias; Otim, Isaac
    Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL), a malignancy of immune B cells, is the most common childhood cancer in sub-Saharan Africa eBL is curable when it's identified early, but it's rapidly fatal without treatment Children in sub-Saharan Africa are over 50 times more likely to develop eBL than children living anywhere else in the world Unfortunately, few studies have examined the risk factors associated with eBL To address that gap, researchers conducted a study of eBL in children in three countries in East Africa They analyzed the relationship between eBL and infections, environmental, and genetic risk factors and focused their conclusions on results observed in at least two countries to minimize false-positives Risk of eBL was associated with low socio-economic status inpatient malaria treatment and living in areas targeted for malaria suppression In addition to exploring eBL risk factors, this study also demonstrates the potential to study cancer risk in East Africa and to detect, treat, or prevent eBL Learn more at emblem.cancer.gov Peprah et al. Risk factors for Burkitt lymphoma in East African children and minors. Int. J. Cancer. (2019)