Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 25: US researchers have unveiled a crucial connection between the parasitic protozoan Plasmodium falciparum the primary cause of malaria and the development of Burkitt lymphoma (BL), a cancer predominantly found in children. While the link between malaria and BL was known since 1958, the underlying mechanism had remained elusive.

Burkitt lymphoma, which affects B cells, has been observed at significantly higher rates in regions where P. falciparum malaria is prevalent, particularly in equatorial Africa and New Guinea. The study, published in The Journal of Immunology, reveals that P falciparum infection elevates levels of AID (activation-induced cytidine deaminase) in B cells. AID is crucial for the genetic mutation that causes MYC gene translocation, a hallmark of BL.

This discovery suggests that reducing malaria prevalence could potentially lower the incidence of childhood BL. Dr Rosemary Rochford, leading the research, emphasized that the findings support AID’s critical role in BL's development and could extend to other types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The study opens new doors for potential interventions that could help mitigate the double burden of malaria and childhood cancer in affected regions.